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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27640277">Isabella Potter-Swan and the Mystery of the Golden Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raggetymanftw/pseuds/Raggetymanftw'>Raggetymanftw</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bella Has Always Been Deadly [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Twilight Series - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bella is Harry Potter, F/M, PTSD, cannon attempted rape, witch!Bella</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:01:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>46,735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27640277</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raggetymanftw/pseuds/Raggetymanftw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>So, this story is a bit of a twist on the female Harry Potter/witch Bella storyline. Harry Potter is Bella Swan. This is a Bella/Edward story as well. Let me know if I should continue it. I have a couple of chapters already written, but I'm not sure I'm in love with it yet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bella Swan/Edward Cullen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bella Has Always Been Deadly [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A New Day, A New Country, A New Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isabella, or Bella as she preferred to be called, sighed. It had been a little more than a year since she had defeated Lord Voldemort and completed her NEWTs and Bella was tired. She needed to get away, far away, from Wizarding Britain.</p><p> </p><p>After the initial overhaul of the Ministry and her various Vaults and properties, Bella discovered that she had an uncle. You see, it had appeared that James Potter wasn’t the first-born son. He had an older brother, Charlus, who had been found a squib. It was a very closely guarded secret. He had been sent to the US when he had turned fifteen, right before James Potter was born. Charlus was renamed Charlie Swan and had taken up residence in Forks, Washington. Charlie didn’t hate his parents for what they did. Bella’s grandparents had made sure Charlie knew he was loved, even if Wizarding Britain at large couldn’t know about his existence. It had been better, for Charlie to be hidden, since the wizarding community wasn’t very pro squib and barely pro muggleborn. It was not uncommon then for pureblood families to <em>kill </em>squib children. Charlie had met James a few times, but they were not as close as the two had wished. Bella had sent him a brief letter, telling him who she was and what had been going on. It didn’t come as a surprise that no one had told Charlie that his younger brother and sister-in-law had been murdered. After a stern talking to Dumbledore’s portrait, Albus revealed that Charlie had been kept in the dark for his own protection from Voldemort.</p><p> </p><p>When Bella told him of everything she’d been through and how she wanted to get away from the Wizarding world, Charlie had offered for her to come move in with him for a while. Bella had decided that she would also finish junior and senior year of her secondary education at Forks High school, so she would better fit in. Charlie wholeheartedly agreed. With Hermione tutoring her for a few months, Bella was ready to enter the muggle education system.</p><p> </p><p>Bella researched Forks and was pleasantly surprised that it rained there most of the year. It would help with feelings of homesickness for rainy England. Bella had created false school transcripts, birth certificate and all other necessary forms of information that would be needed to create a new identity. Money could really make anything happen, well, in most cases. Bella once again thanked the money she had inherited from her father and Sirius. She had renamed herself “Bella Swan”, so no one would wonder why her last name was different from her uncle, and no one from the Wizarding world would recognise her.</p><p> </p><p>Once Bella had decided to move to Forks to live with her uncle, (since of the majority of her time was spent in either sweats or school robes) she would need new clothes. So, with her Gringotts bank card, disguised as a debit American Express card (which worked the same way as a muggle debit card), and bought herself a whole new wardrobe, suited to living in rainy weather, and almost all of the tops she’d purchased had long sleeves. She wanted to hide her scars, so no one would ask questions as to why there were words carved there. Bella and Hermione had that in common. Bellatrix had carved <em>blood-traitor</em> into her arm, as she had carved <em>mudblood </em>into Hermione’s. Bella was so glad to get away, to put her past behind her. Not that she wanted to forget, but she wanted to heal and figure out exactly who she was outside of the Girl-Who-Lived and the Woman-Who-Conquered. Soon, Bella was on a plane to America, the New World being the best place to start again.</p><p> </p><p>As Charlie came and picked her up from the airport, she felt trepidation set in. She was moving to a small town, and much like the small population of the British wizarding community, there was going to be gossip. What were they going to say about the Chief of Police's mysterious, secret niece? Bella calmed herself. At least these whispers would die down eventually. The Girl-Who-Lived, turned Woman-Who-Conquered, didn't exist out here. That fame would not follow her here. Bella would have a fresh start, as 17-year-old Bella Marie Swan, rather than 18-year-old Isabella Lily Potter. She knew she could stay in Forks for a while, Bella managed to pass anywhere between 17 and 23. She had learned, in the year that has past, that she was no longer mortal. Death had come to her, to greet her as his new Master. She had cried when she had discovered that she would not age, while her friends would grow old and die.  </p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, Charlie had already signed her up to the high school. He said he had already bought her a car as well, which Bella had thanked him sincerely for. She had surreptitiously paid the money for the car back into Charlie's account after he told her about the car. He didn't seem to have noticed yet. Bella didn't need his money, having the Potter family money behind her, not to mention the Black money as well. Bella had been planning this new life for quite a while now and had pretty much caught up with the muggle high school curriculum, thanks to Hermione. She could have finished school already, but that would have caused even more whispers. So here she was, a junior at Forks High School.</p><p> </p><p>The room at Charlie's house had clearly been repainted recently, a pale lavender colour. The smell of fresh paint still lingered slightly in the air. A desk and a double bed was in there as well, along with a computer and internet. Bella was grateful. She was sure not to work to much magic in this room, lest she accidentally destroy any electronics. Charlie left her to settle in, which made Bella relaxed. It was great that he didn't hover. He wasn't a man of a lot of words, which Bella found refreshing and something she could relate to. In the weeks before Bella started at school, she had spent time with Charlie and got to know him. Despite being a fully integrated American, he still had the stiff-upper lip of a British man. While he didn’t gush, Bella could tell that he was pleased that she was there, that he had another connection in the world beside his ex-wife and his friends on the Reservation.</p><p> </p><p>The truck Charlie had bought for her was great, but she quickly put a sound dampening charm on the engine, so it wasn't quite so loud. There next morning had been quite a surprise when she'd turned the engine for the first time. Since becoming the Master of Death, Bella hadn't really needed to use her wand to do magic, unless it was something very complex. It was infinitely useful to not have to use it all the time. It generally lived in her hair, attached to her head with a hair-tie, making it look like a hair accessory, a chopstick. If she pulled it out, the hair tie still held her bun in place.</p><p> </p><p>When the day finally came, Bella saw that the high school wasn't hard to find, and Bella quickly found a carpark in the empty lot and walked casually over to the building that had ADMIN written in large letters across the side. Bella walked up to the desk and smiled at the lady sitting there.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello, I'm Bella Swan. I'm supposed to start today." Bella said with a small smile.</p><p> </p><p>The lady startled, quickly taking in Bella's appearance; soft brown skin, dark black hair that was pinned within an inch of its life into a bun, bright green eyes and thick bangs, before replying. "Oh yes, hello. I'm Ms. Cope. I have your schedule and campus map right here. And I need you to get all your teachers to sign this paper and for you to bring it back to me at the end of the day."</p><p> </p><p>Bella perused the map. It was definitely no Hogwarts, but it wasn't as small as she'd thought it would be. "Thank you very much, Ms Cope." Bella said, before turning and leaving the office.</p><p> </p><p>Bella quickly made her way to her first class, English, and leaned against the wall. The school began to get busy fast, but Bella resolutely focused on a book she’d pulled out of her bag and ignored the stares and whispers. Bella was used to it. It was only when the bell rang did she put her book away and enter the classroom. The teacher quickly signed Bella’s slip and directed her to an empty table at the back of the room, not making her stand and introduce herself, which was great. A boy walked up to Bella, acne covered and slicked back black hair. He reminded her of a really nerdy, awkward Draco.</p><p> </p><p>"Hi, you’re Isabella Swan, right?"</p><p> </p><p>"Bella," Bella immediately corrected. "Nice to meet you...?"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, I'm Eric." he said, before sitting down at a seat a few tables in front of her. The class begun to fill up, and Bella noticed that people kept staring at her, which as a feat for most of them, as she was seated so far behind. Bella was used to people staring at her, after all. Once the class ended, Eric came back up to her.</p><p> </p><p>“So, how is your first day going?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Not bad,” Bella replied politely.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s good. I hope we’re all making you feel welcome here at Forks High. What’s your next class?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella pulled out her schedule. “Uhh, Government with Jefferson.”</p><p> </p><p>Eric looked at Bella’s schedule. “Ah, yes in building Six. I’m heading over to building Four, I could show you the way?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled. Eric seemed like the overly helpful, study club kind of person. She wondered of Hermione would have liked him. She quickly tossed that thought aside.</p><p> </p><p>‘You’ll just make yourself sad,’ Bella scolded herself. ‘You came here to heal and build, not sulk.’</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, that would be great.”</p><p> </p><p>They walked silently out of the classroom for a minute. “So, you’re from Arizona? Bet this is a lot different.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked, remembering her cover story. She and Charlie had brainstormed a life for Bella, so people wouldn’t question her as to why she was British and how could Chief Swan’s niece possibly be British? Charlie had also helped her work on an Arizonian accent. They decided that Bella would be Charlie’s niece, coming to stay with him permanently because her parents had died recently in a car accident. Charlie was her only living family. Bella had to snort at the ‘car accident’, as that was the lie she had been told for years by the Dursleys. That was a lie she had down pat. They also invented a godmother, an explanation for Andromeda Tonks, when she and Teddy came to visit. Of course, she’d only offer this explanation if someone asked, and Charlie would do the same. “Definitely.”</p><p> </p><p>Eric blushed faintly, which made Bella raise her eyebrows. “Uh, it doesn’t rain much there, does it?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “Maybe about 4 or 5 times a year.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, must be so sunny.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, the sun is pretty much a constant.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, that would explain your tan, I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, this is my normal skin colour. My grandmother somewhere on my tree was from India. I’m not really the outdoorsy type.” Bella replied. She didn’t think camping in various forests for a year nor Quidditch counted here, especially since it was something Bella wasn’t allowed to talk about. Another thing that sucked about moving to the Muggle world. ‘Maybe I can find a deserted clearing somewhere in these forests and get some airtime in,’ Bella thought to herself.</p><p> </p><p>Eric nodded seriously, as if he agreed vehemently. He led Bella straight to the door of building six.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, here we are. Goodluck. Maybe we’ll have some other classes together.” He sounded painfully hopeful. Bella smiled gently at him before entering the class. She hoped all this attention was stop soon, despite supposedly being used to it, all the eyes had an eerily familiar sensation to them, reminiscent of her fifth year at Hogwarts. At least they weren’t the glares from second and fourth year.</p><p> </p><p>The rest of the morning went pretty much the same way, Trigonometry being the only class so far where the teacher made Bella stand up and introduce herself, which was annoying, but she managed to get through it without getting tongue tied or tripping over her feet. Being the Girl-Who-Lived and Woman-Who-Conquered had cured her of any fear of public speaking she had once had.</p><p> </p><p>One girl sat next to Bella in Spanish and Trig. She looked a lot like Hermione, with her wild curly hair, but her personality reminded her a lot of Lavender Brown. It made Bella feel nostalgic for the early days, where Parvati and Lavender would sit in their dorm room, gossiping over their horoscopes. Poor Lavender didn’t deserve what happened to her. Fucking Greyback. Bella shook her head of that thought and tried to focus on what she was saying.</p><p> </p><p>‘Her name is Jessica,’ Bella reminded herself, ‘don’t get lost in memories. You have a new life now.’</p><p> </p><p>Jessica led Bella over to a table in the cafeteria after Spanish, where all her friends were sitting. They all introduced themselves, and Bella tried to remember each of their names. She was a lot better at remembering names now. Reporters expected you to remember their names, at least, in Wizarding Britain. Bella noticed the boy from English, Eric, was waving to her from a few tables over. Some other people came up to Bella and introduced themselves, asking her how she was finding Forks. So far, no one had asked any personal questions like, ‘why did Officer Swan not tell anyone about you?’ and ‘why did you move here?’, which was a relief. Perhaps they were too scared to ask.</p><p> </p><p>It was then, while she was trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, did Bella notice them across the cafeteria. There were five of them, they weren’t talking to each other, let alone anyone else, and they weren’t eating, going by the untouched trays of food in front of them. They also weren’t gawking at her, like all the other students in the room. If they anything, it looked like they were purposefully not looking in anyone’s direction, lest they meet someone’s gaze. But it wasn’t any of these things that captured Bella’s attention. It was that, firstly, they didn’t look anything alike. Secondly, they felt … inhuman. Something ran along Bella’s senses like nothing she’d felt since she’d been on the run.</p><p> </p><p>Of the three males, one had dark curly hair and was really big, like he spent every waking minute that he wasn’t at school, at the gym working out. Another was taller and leaner, but still quite muscular with honey-blonde hair. He looked like he was in pain, or perhaps constipated. Despite the carefully blank faces of the others he was with, he looked like he rather evidentially didn’t want to be there. The last male looked younger than the other two, not because of his height or lack of visible muscles, but he had a more boyish features about him. He fitted in more with the students, rather than the other two, who looked like they could be teachers or aids. The boyish one also looked eerily like Cedric Diggory, who had died some four years ago. Though, this boy was even more handsome than Cedric had been. And Cedric had been gorgeous.</p><p> </p><p>The two girls were the complete opposites. The blonde was statuesque, with a body that looked like she should be walking the catwalks in Milan or on the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. She was literally the most beautiful female Bella had ever seen, and Bella had met Veela. Her blonde hair was more golden than Veela platinum and fell in gentle waves down her back. The other female was a manic-pixie-girl dream. She was thin in the extreme, with her hair cropped almost boyishly short and pointing out in every direction, very 1920’s.</p><p> </p><p>But despite their physical appearance, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, paler than even Eric, paler than Draco fucking Malfoy. They all had very dark coloured eyes, despite their vastly different hair colours. They also had quite dark shadows under their eyes, as if they could use a very good night’s sleep. All of their features were perfect and angular, reminding her of images of Fae folk that Bella had studied and met in her time doing a press junket as the Woman-Who-Conquered.  </p><p> </p><p>Bella found herself watching them, not just because they triggered an unsettling feeling inside her brought on by years of paranoia, but because they were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. As Bella watched them, the pixie girl rose with her tray of untouched food, and walked away with a quick, but graceful lope; like a ballerina, as she dumped her food in the bin and glided out the back door, in a way that should have been too fast to still be that graceful. The others still hadn’t moved.</p><p> </p><p>Still feeling uneasy in their inhuman presence, Bella turned to Jessica and in feigned curiosity asked, “Who are they?”</p><p> </p><p>Jessica looked up to see who Bella meant, though she must have already guessed, as she began speaking before she locked eyes on the strange students.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, the boyish one looked at Jessica for a moment before his eyes flickered to Bella’s. Bella looked away, turning her attention to Jessica, so he wouldn’t catch Bella staring again. In that brief glance that Bella caught, his face had given no emotion, as if he had looked up involuntarily, that she had called his name to him. ‘Odd’, Bella thought, ‘perhaps he can hear me. Maybe they <em>are</em> Veela?’</p><p> </p><p>Jessica giggled with embarrassment at being caught by the boyish one and looked away like Bella did.</p><p> </p><p>“That is Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife.” Jessica said all this under her breath.</p><p> </p><p>The boyish one, Edward, was picking a bagel apart with long, thin pale fingers. His mouth was moving very quickly, his perfect pale lips barely opening as he did so. The others were still looking away, but it appeared like he was indeed talking to them.</p><p> </p><p>‘For Muggles,’ Bella thought, ‘those were unpopular names. Children in the wizarding world, sure, a few decades behind on popular names, but here? These were the names muggle grandparents had, not teenagers.’</p><p> </p><p>“They’re very, er, nice looking.” Bella said, not knowing what else to say. They were very beautiful, but Bella wasn’t as affected as she made it seem. She had been around Veela since she was fourteen, more than four years.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes!” Jessica agreed with yet another giggle.</p><p> </p><p>‘Such a giggly girl, this one’, Bella thought, amusedly, once again reminded of Lavender Brown.</p><p> </p><p>“They’re all together though. The buff one, Emmett and Rosalie, the blonde girl, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they <em>live</em> together.”</p><p> </p><p>Her voice held all the shock and condemnation of the small town, Bella mused somewhat critically. However, such a thing would also cause a scandal in Wizarding society too. Well, certain parts.</p><p> </p><p>“Funny, they don’t really look related.” Bella said softly, not really to Jessica, but she heard anyway.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, they’re not. Dr Cullen is really young, in his late twenties, early thirties. They’re all adopted. The Hales are brother and sister, twins – the blondes- and they’re foster children.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella raised an eyebrow. “They look a little old to be foster children,”</p><p> </p><p>“They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they’ve been with Mrs Cullen since they were eight. She’s their aunt or something like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh,” Bella said. “That’s kind of nice of them, for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they’re so young and everything.”</p><p> </p><p>Jessica shrugged. “I guess so,” Bella got the impression that Jessica didn’t like the doctor and his wife for some reason. Bella guessed jealousy, by the looks Jessica was throwing at them. “I don’t think that Mrs Cullen can have biological children, though.” Jessica added, as if that made them less kind somehow.</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s senses were still tingling, they didn’t seem like Veela. Veela generally had bright blue eyes and their hair was generally always white gold. This group had too much variance to simply be Veela, even if it was only partially. The Veela gene always overpowers other pat/mat-ernal genes, just look at Fleur. She was only a quarter Veela, but she still had physical Veela characteristics.</p><p> </p><p>Bella continued her questioning, trying to keep it light and subtle, rather than head into an interrogation. “Have they always lived in Forks?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Jessica said, her tone of voice implying that that should be obvious. “They moved down two years ago from in Alaska somewhere.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella glanced back over to the group and sighed in pity and relief. Pity that, like her in the Wizarding Britain, despite popularity, they were treated like outsiders; however, relief that she wasn’t the only newcomer. Bella accidentally locked eyes with Edward, but this time, Bella noticed curiosity in his gaze. It felt like there was a certain expectation in his eyes, though Bella had no idea what it could be. She briefly thought she felt someone graze her Occlumency shield, but the sensation was gone as quickly as it arrived. It made Bella frown lightly, looking down slightly, before meeting Edward’s gaze again. He was still staring at her, but not gawking like the rest of the student body, and he had a slightly frustrated expression. ‘Why? Could he have tried to touch my mind?’ Bella thought.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica noticed Bella watching Edward. “Yeah, he’s gorgeous, of course, but don’t waste your time on him. He doesn’t date. Apparently none of the girls, or boys, here are good-looking enough for him.” Bella chuckled internally, clearly a case of sour grapes. Bella wondered if he had turned her down.</p><p> </p><p>Edward had since turned his face away, but his cheeks appeared lifted, as if he were smiling too. Bella frowned. Something one of his siblings said? But they didn’t appear to have moved. Could he really have heard what Jessica had said? What species had such good hearing? Bella had since come to the conclusion that these people were not entirely human.</p><p> </p><p>‘Whatever,’ Bella thought. ‘As long as they don’t cause trouble for me or anyone else, then I don’t care what they are.’</p><p> </p><p>After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. Of course, they all moved as gracefully as Alice had, even Emmett, big and brawny as he was. It was almost unsettling for Bella to watch. Oh, she wished that Hermione was here. She could have told Bella exactly what these people were. ‘Ugh, I thought you’d decided that you didn’t care?’ Bella scolded herself. Edward didn’t look at her again.</p><p> </p><p>Bella sat at the table longer than she would have had she been alone and not with Jessica’s friends. Hearing the laughter and banter around her made her miss the mealtimes at Hogwarts, when she had been surrounded by her own friends. One of Bella’s new acquaintances, Angela, had Biology II with her the next hour. They walked to class together in silence. She reminded Bella of Padma Patil, who Bella had got to know better during DA sessions. Padma hadn’t been scared of a comfortable silence like her twin sister had been. Parvati was always filling silences with chatter, even if it was nervous chatter.</p><p> </p><p>When they entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a black-topped lab table that reminded Bella strongly of the potions tables at Hogwarts, very clean and minimalist. Angela already had a partner, in fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the centre of the aisle, Bella recognised Edward Cullen, sitting next to that single open seat.</p><p> </p><p>Bella quickly walked over to the teacher to get the slip signed, before heading to the only open seat. Edward suddenly became rigid in his seat as Bella walked past. He was staring at her again, but instead of curiosity, it was hostile and furious. Bella frowned and sat gingerly down on her seat. His eyes were black. Blacker than Hagrid’s, blacker than Snape’s.</p><p> </p><p>Edward was leaning away from Bella, sitting on the edge of his chair, he was almost standing. He was averting his face, covering his nose with his hand, like he smelled something bad. Bella quickly and surreptitiously, readjusted her jacket, checking if she smelled. Which she did not. But perhaps…? Closing her eyes for a moment, Bella silently cast a wandless smell dampening spell on herself. It’s a slightly weaker version of the spell she usually used when around wild werewolves when they didn’t know they had been cursed with lycanthropy. It had happened before. Potter luck striking again. Bella noticed the moment the spell took effect, as Edward immediately relaxed. However, his hostile stare transformed into confusion.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hmm,’ Bella thought. ‘Sensitive to smell, to smells the human nose can’t pick up.’</p><p> </p><p>Bella ignored him and listened to the lecture. It was on cellular anatomy, something that Bella already knew, but in an action that would have made Hermione proud, she still took down notes. Time passed relatively quickly, and towards the end of the session, Bella’s attention was drawn away from the lecture.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t believe we have been introduced.” Came a soft, almost musical voice. “You’re Isabella Swan, correct?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella froze and turned to him. “It’s Bella, actually. And you are Edward Cullen. Gossip moves fast through this school; I assume that’s how you know my name.”</p><p> </p><p>His perfect face twisted into a charming, crooked grin. “Unsurprising. It is a small town, after all. Everyone has been waiting for you to arrive.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned wryly in reply. “Don’t I know it?” Bella had not forgotten his short lived, hostile stare, but she didn’t feel the need to bring it up, not right now. Moody would always say “constant vigilance”, but maybe a more subtle approach would work better in the case of the Cullens’.</p><p> </p><p>“Not a big fan of small towns?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “It’s not the only small community I’ve been a part of, even if only briefly.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward looked interested. “But you’re from Phoenix, Arizona yes? That city is three times the size of Seattle.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, but I haven’t lived there my whole life.” Bella replied, carefully. Perhaps, the more she shared, the more willing Edward would be to share information in return.</p><p> </p><p>Once again, Bella felt a light brush against her Occlumency shields, while meeting Edward’s eyes. Natural Legilimens perhaps? ‘He doesn’t actively try to break through, he’d only get surface thoughts against someone without Occlumency shields.’ Bella thought. She frowned at him slightly, probing Edward’s mind lightly in return. All she got, from the brief touch, was his confusion towards her. Did he suspect something about her in return? Edward’s frown became slightly more pronounced. Could he sense her in his mind too? She broke her gaze and looked down at her notes. ‘Only a few more minutes and then class is over.’ Bella sighed, ‘Maybe I should question him some more.’</p><p> </p><p>“So, I heard you guys moved down from Alaska. You must be pretty used to small towns.” Bella said, smiling innocently at Edward, as if she had not just gently invaded his mind.</p><p> </p><p>Edward’s forehead smoothed at the neutral topic. “Yes, though we lived in Seattle before that. My father, Carlisle, moves around us around a lot, for his work.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded. “He’s a doctor, isn’t he?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, he loves his job.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can understand how it would be very rewarding, being a doctor.” Bella said with a gentle smile. They settled into a comfortable silence. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t pry. Whatever he is, he seems nice enough. All the whispers around school have said how lovely Dr and Mrs Cullen are.’</p><p> </p><p>Soon the bell rang, Edward smiled politely at her, before rising and leaving the classroom. Bella slowly rose after him. As she reached the door, another boy came up to her.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re Isabella Swan, right?” He asked. He was a cute, baby-faced boy, his pale blonde hair carefully gelled into place, though a stray curl around his ear had escaped. He was smiling at Bella in a friendly, ‘I’m a nice jock’ kind of way.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” She corrected with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Mike.” He replied. “Do you need any help finding your next class?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m headed to the gym, actually. I think I can find it.” Bella said, not unkindly.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s my next class too!” He said, seemingly thrilled by the possibility. Bella wasn’t that surprised. The school wasn’t that big, cross over was bound to happen.</p><p> </p><p>They walked together to class. He was a chatterer and supplied most of the conversation, which was great. Bella was getting tired of repeating her backstory over and over again. Mike had lived in California till he was ten, so he knew what it was like to lose constant sunlight, which would have been equally devastating to Bella if she had been born Bella Swan instead of Bella Potter. He also seemed to express genuine empathy for the loss of her parents. It turned out he was the nicest person Bella had met that day. He was in her English class as well. It was going well, until they were entering the gym.</p><p> </p><p>“So, did you run into Edward Cullen earlier today and stab him, or something? Before he started talking to you, he looked like he wanted to pick a fight with you or something.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella cringed. She’d hoped no one had noticed. It wouldn’t do for another piece of gossip to start about her.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I don’t know why he was acting like that, but when we started chatting, he seemed fine. Maybe he just had a headache or something. I know I can be a bit irritable when I have a headache.” Bella said, ironically. ‘Horcruxes in your forehead will do that to you.’</p><p> </p><p>Mike nodded understandingly. “Yeah, he really did look like he was in pain, or something.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled at him before they parted to go to separate change rooms. The gym teacher Coach Clapp (<em>A/N my P.E teacher in high school was also Mr Clapp, and the boys made jokes that he had the clap. Also rumours that he was a pedo floated around for a long time. Fun facts with Elle</em>) found Bella a uniform for class, which she was grateful for. She didn’t want to get her regular clothes all sweaty. After such a, well kind of stressful day, doing some physical activity would help blow off some steam. It may not be Quidditch, but it would have to do.</p><p> </p><p>Bella managed to keep up well, for a sport she’d never played, but Muggle sports, particularly volleyball, wasn’t that complicated to follow.</p><p> </p><p>The final bell rang and after changing, Bella made her way to the admin building to return the signed slips. The rain that had started sometime after gym started, had drifted away, but the wind was stronger and colder. Bella wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. Bella didn’t think she’d miss her thick robes from Hogwarts, but muggle clothes just didn’t quite warm her up as much.</p><p> </p><p>When Bella walked into the warm office, she almost turned back around immediately.</p><p> </p><p>Edward Cullen stood at the desk in front of her. He didn’t appear to notice the sound of her entrance. Bella stood pressed against the back wall of the small room, waiting for the receptionist to be free and for Edward to leave.</p><p> </p><p>He appeared to be arguing with Ms Cope in a low, attractive voice. Bella quickly picked up the gist of the argument. He was trying to trade sixth period Biology to another time, any other time.</p><p> </p><p>Bella raised an eyebrow. ‘Did my smell cancelling smell not work well enough? Or doesn’t he want the risk of smelling me again? But what would the danger be, apart from putting up with a bad smell? Unless…’</p><p> </p><p>The door opened again, and cold wind suddenly gusted around the room, rustling all the papers littered around the room. The girl who came in merely steeped to the desk, placed a note in the wire basket, and then walked back out. But Edward Cullen’s back stiffened, and he slowly turned to glare at me.</p><p> </p><p>“Shit,” Bella said under her breath, but by Edward’s raised eyebrow, she could tell he’d heard her. Bella had forgotten to re-apply her smell-dampening charm. Closing her eyes, Bella silently cast the spell, and reopened her eyes once she had finished.</p><p> </p><p>Once again, Edward froze in surprise, the hostility melting from his face and confusion taking its place.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled weakly at him, which made Edward’s confusion deepen. He turned back to the receptionist. “Never mind then,” He said hastily in a voice like velvet. “I can see that it’s impossible. Thank you so much for your help.” Then he turned on his heel, with one last confused glance Bella’s way, and strode out the door.</p><p> </p><p>Bella took a deep breath and walked to the desk, placing her slip on the desk.</p><p> </p><p>“How did your first day go, dear?” Ms Cope asked maternally.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled gently at her. “Not too bad, I think I made some friends.”</p><p> </p><p>Ms Cope grinned at me. “There you go, dear.”</p><p> </p><p>When Bella made it to her truck, she was almost the last car in the carpark. It was a warm haven, once she’d turned the engine on. Luckily, the sound dampening spell stuck. Thank Hermione for teaching the best warding spells. For some reason, spells put on people (the Unforgivables aside) didn’t tend to last as long as spells put on objects. In a few days, Bella might need to reapply the sound-dampening spell, but she was resolute in keeping a constant smell-dampening spell whenever she knew she was going to be around Edward Cullen. Whatever he was, if whatever smell Bella was unconsciously giving off, at least she could stop it, and make his time around her a little easier.</p><p> </p><p>Despite not deeply caring about figuring out what the Cullens’ were, the pieces were slowly coming together. That night, she had dreams about statue like people and blood. She didn’t remember it when she awoke.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Clues, maybe?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2</p><p> </p><p>Charlie called not long after Bella got home. He wouldn’t be home until very late that night and would be eating dinner at work. He said he had left some money on the kitchen bench, for Bella to order a pizza. Bella’s heart warmed at that. It was something Sirius or Ron would have done for her. She was fast including Charlie in her small group of loved ones. He had been understanding when Bella had told him about her past, about everything that had happened. Charlie offered an ear if she ever needed to talk and had woken her from her nightmares with a sympathetic smile and hug. He was becoming the father that Bella had never really had. She ordered a supreme pizza, ate about half, before heading up and going to bed, feeling more loved now than she had in her first eleven years of life.</p><p> </p><p>The next day was a little bit better, Mike sat next to Bella in English, much to Eric’s chagrin. Bella might have blushed at this, if she wasn’t completely uninterested. On the plus side, people didn’t stare at her as much as they had the day before, which was easier on Bella’s nerves. Having that many eyes on her always put Bella on edge, paranoia always flittering around the edges of her consciousness. Fucking Death Eaters.</p><p> </p><p>At lunch, Bella sat with a big group of people, the same as the day before. It began to feel like Bella was riding the wave now, instead of just treading in the choppy water. The Cullens’ were again, sitting across the other side of the cafeteria, but now, Bella had caught them out of the corner of her eye, staring at her on and off again. Had Edward told them about her? She made sure to apply her smell-dampening charm before they headed into Biology.</p><p> </p><p>Once again, Bella went and took her place beside Edward, who wasn’t glaring at her this time, but still ignoring everyone and the world around him. At least, that’s how it appeared. Bella could tell that he was tense, but as Bella sat down, he seemed to relax some. That in turn made Bella relax. Mike smiled wistfully at Bella, which made her sigh, somewhat irritably when they looked away from each other. She’d have to do something about Mike, she could sense he was starting to grow a crush on her. It wasn’t going to be easy either. In a small town like this, where everyone lived on top of each other, diplomacy was essential. But as Hermione was constantly reminding her, Bella’s tact wasn’t quite up to scratch. And Bella had no experience dealing with overly friendly boys. The ones back home were always intimidated by her, and her dating experience didn’t extend much past Ron being her date to the Yule Ball in fourth year (they went as friends, of course, since neither of them could get another date re: Ron being awkward and re: Bella intimidating Girl-Who-Lived, Triwizard Tournament cheater). She didn’t really care about the whole ‘waiting til marriage’ thing, but people wanting her for her fame or for their own glory, she hadn’t really wanted to have sex with someone she didn’t love. Yeah, she was a virgin, shut up. But, with wizarding lifespans being so long, it wasn’t that uncommon for people to have not lost the v card until they were around 23 or older. Besides, Bella had never been in love before. Sure, she had loved, made a family, but never <em>in </em>love.</p><p> </p><p>Edward noticed the interaction, then Bella’s reaction and smirked. “You seem to have an admirer.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I noticed.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward raised his eyebrows, not expecting this reaction. “Not reciprocated?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella snorted. “No, he’s too young for me.” She said without thinking. Muggle boys matured a bit slower than wizarding boys already, but her life experience, made her way older in the sense of emotional maturity.  </p><p> </p><p>This made Edward frown. “Aren’t you 17?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed. “Um, yeah. I, er, prefer to date older people.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward raised an eyebrow, making Bella blush even harder. They didn’t speak for the rest of the period. Bella launched herself from her seat the minute the bell rang, avoiding Edward’s slightly bemused gaze.</p><p> </p><p>After gym, Bella rushed to get changed and leave, pleased that she had managed to evade her retriever friend for the moment. Bella moved swiftly out to the carpark, which was now filled with other students also fleeing as fast as they could. In the few weeks that Bella had spent with Charlie prior to her entrance to school, Bella had discovered that Charlie couldn’t cook past bacon and eggs, so she volunteered to take over kitchen duty not long after she first arrived. Charlie also didn’t really have any food in the house, so Bella was in charge of groceries. Today was grocery day. As she got in the line to leave the carpark, Bella noticed the Cullens’ standing around a shiny Volvo. She noticed that their clothes suggested designer brands. Dr Cullen and/or Mrs Cullen must come from money to afford those kinds of clothes. Maybe it was money that divided these people and made the Cullens’ outsiders. They were too beautiful for them to be cut out, looks like those could open so many doors. Perhaps they desire isolation. They never seem to want to reach out to their fellow students, perfectly content with only associating with each other. They all seemed to stare at Bella as she drove by, but she resolutely kept her eyes forward as she made her way off the school grounds.</p><p> </p><p>The supermarket wasn’t that far from the school. It was nice to be in one, it made Bella forget, slightly, about the new life she was creating, all that she had left behind. Time seemed frozen inside the supermarket. Like a liminal space.</p><p> </p><p>When she got home, Bella quickly stuffed the groceries in shelves and cupboards and put two steaks in marinade and got started on some baked potatoes. Once that was all going, Bella went upstairs to get a start on her homework and getting into some comfy clothes.</p><p> </p><p>After writing some letters, to be sent untraceable to England, Bella decided to re-read <em>Wuthering Heights</em>, since it was the required book for English. She’d read it before, but there was no harm in refreshing her memory. Hermione had made sure that Bella had read all the classics. Bella noticed that she’d lost track of time and hurried quickly downstairs to take the potatoes out and to start cooking the steak.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?” Charlie called out when he heard her on the stair.</p><p> </p><p>‘Who else would it be?’ Bella thought to herself with amusement. “Hey Charlie, welcome home.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie smiled as he hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as Bella bustled about in the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s for dinner?” He asked wearily. He knew that Bella was a witch, a bit of a culture difference. Bella wasn’t surprised that he was hesitant.</p><p> </p><p>“Steak and potatoes. Don’t worry Charlie, British food, even wizarding British food, isn’t that exotic.” Bella answered with a chuckle, though he looked relieved, despite chuckling in return. He seemed awkward standing in the kitchen, doing nothing, so he walked tiredly into the living room to watch tv while Bella finished making dinner.</p><p> </p><p>Once dinner was ready, Bella called him in, and he sniffed the air appreciatively as he sat down at the kitchen table.</p><p> </p><p>“Smells good, Bells.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks.” Bella replied with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>They ate in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Neither of them were bothered by it. In a lot of ways, they were well suited to living together.</p><p> </p><p>“So, how did you like school these past two days? Have you made any friends?” He asked, putting some more potatoes on his plate.</p><p> </p><p>“I have a few classes with Jessica, I sit with her friends at lunch. Also, there’s this boy Mike, who’s very friendly. Everybody seems pretty nice.” Bella replied.</p><p> </p><p>“That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid, nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella chose to change gears, to ask Charlie what she wanted to know about a certain family. “Do you know the Cullen family?” She asked hesitantly.</p><p> </p><p>“Dr Cullen’s family? Sure. Dr Cullen’s a great man.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella took a chance. “They … the kids, that is … are a little different. They don’t seem to fit in very well at school.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie surprised Bella by looking angry.</p><p> </p><p>“People in this town,” He muttered. “Dr Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here,” he continued, getting increasingly louder. “We’re lucky to have him, lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He’s an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them, but they’re all very mature.  I haven’t had a speck of trouble with them. That’s more than I can say for the children of some of the folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together, like a family should, camping trips every other weekend. Just because they’re newcomers, people have to talk.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella was stunned. It was the longest speech she had ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people must be saying.</p><p> </p><p>Quickly backpedalling, Bella said “They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed that they kept to themselves. They’re all very … attractive.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie laughed. “You should see the doctor. It’s a good thing that he’s happily married. A lot of the staff at the hospital have a hard time concentrating with him around.”</p><p> </p><p>They were silent for a bit longer. “I wonder why people would say mean things about them. I mean, they keep to themselves, sure, but they haven’t done anything to deserve it. At least, I don’t think so.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie sighed. “It’s small-town politics, I’m afraid Bella. They’re new and different, doesn’t matter if they’re nice and upstanding people. They don’t fit the mould, so people knit-pick and play nasty games.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded, she knew that all too well, reminded of her second, fifth and what would have been her seventh year. Bella’s opinion of her new uncle rose steeply.</p><p> </p><p>After cleaning up, Bella headed upstairs. She immediately went to her little beaded bag, one that Hermione had given to her, enchanted with an extension charm, and pulled out a book on non-human, sentient creatures. The book gave her lots of ideas, but nothing concrete. The Cullens’ could have been Selkies or even Merrows, but that didn’t quite fit. They were too impossibly beautiful, but they weren’t Veela. After spending time with Edward Cullen and Fleur Weasley nee Delacour, they felt completely different to her and from each other. And the other suggestion was maybe vampires. There were a few different species, but too many to narrow down without more information.</p><p> </p><p>The rest of the week was uneventful, Edward Cullen pretty much ignoring Bella during Biology, but Bella made sure to put the smell dampening spell on herself every time she left lunch to go to class. Gym was still pretty good, Bella was getting better at volleyball each time she played, which earned her some popularity from her peers.</p><p> </p><p>Lunchtime conversation began to revolve around a trip to La Push Ocean Park in a few weeks that Mike was putting together. Bella was invited and had agreed to go, hoping to actually make real friends, especially if this was going to be her life for however long she can get away with being un-ageing.</p><p> </p><p>Bella spent that first weekend cleaning, doing laundry and writing cheerful letters to Hermione and Ron, making sure they wouldn’t try to come after her. She did drive to the local library, but it was so ridiculously empty and badly stocked, that even Hermione would have had trouble finding something interesting enough to read. Bella decided that she would have to make a visit to Olympia or Seattle and find a good bookstore as soon as possible. Bella idly wondered what kind of petrol mileage her truck got and sighed, probably not good.</p><p> </p><p>The rain stayed soft over the weekend, which was good, but Bella didn’t feel up to hiking in unfamiliar woods alone, even with a point-me spell. Perhaps when it got closer to summer and it rained a little bit less, she would explore more of the woods. And maybe then, some quidditch.</p><p> </p><p>People greeted Bella with bright smiles in the carpark the following Monday morning. Bella didn’t really remember all of their names, but she still smiled and waved back. It was a lot colder that morning, but it wasn’t raining. Having lived in Scotland for so long, Bella recognised what this was, it was going to snow soon. Bella sat with Mike in English and they worked together on a worksheet the teacher had given them. It was incredibly easy for Bella, as it was on <em>Wuthering Heights</em>, but she didn’t give Mike all the answers.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll won’t learn if I just tell you.” Echoing words that Hermione had once said to her and Ron.</p><p> </p><p>When they walked out of class, the air was filled with swirling white flecks. Bella could hear people laughing and shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at Bella’s cheeks and nose. Nostalgia welled up in Bella’s chest. It wasn’t quite as beautiful as snow over Hogwarts, but it did bring her a strong sensation of “home”.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow,” Mike said, awe colouring his tone. “It’s snowing.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned at Mike. “It’s so pretty.”</p><p> </p><p>Mike looked at her and blushed. He looked like he was going to say something but decided against it. Suddenly, a big squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. They both turned to see where it came from. Bella had a suspicion that is was Eric, who was walking away from them, in the wrong direction of his next class. Mike had apparently come to the same conclusion. He bent down and began scraping together a ball of snow.</p><p> </p><p>Bella giggled wickedly, wanting to watch, but a shiver wracked through her. “I’ll see you at lunch, okay?” Bella said, walking away as she spoke. “It’s a bit cold out here and I’m not really dressed for a snow fight.”</p><p> </p><p>Mike nodded with a small smile, before focusing on Eric’s retreating figure.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. Bella kept her mouth shut, but not for lack of trying. She loved snow, but as a girl supposedly from Phoenix, Arizona, she couldn’t really talk about her experiences with it. It was a bit of a gauntlet to make it to lunch, avoiding globs of mushy snow thrown about. It was fun dodging it before Bella and Jessica made it to the warmth of the cafeteria.</p><p> </p><p>Mike caught up to them, laughing. Ice was melting in his hair, causing his usually slicked down curls, to make an appearance. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the school wide snowball fight as they got in line to buy food. Bella glanced towards the Cullens’ table out of habit and fought a smile. They were laughing. Edward, Jasper and Emmett all had their hair entirely saturated with melting snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his hair like a dog, flicking water everywhere. They were enjoying the snow day, just like everyone else, only they looked like they were modelling winter wear, unlike the rest of the student body. But aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different. Bella examined Edward the most carefully, as she had spent the most time with him than any of the other Cullens’. His skin was less pale, Bella noticed. The circles under his eyes were much less apparent. Once again, Bella applied her smell-dampening spell in preparation for Biology next.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella, what are you staring at?” Jessica intruded, her eyes following Bella’s stare.</p><p> </p><p>At that precise moment, Edward’s eyes flashed over to meet Bella’s. Bella laughed lightly. “Oh, it’s nothing, it was just odd to see the Cullens’ not impersonating living statues for once.” Jessica seemed mollified by Bella’s answer.</p><p> </p><p>Bella had noticed that Edward looked at her with that curious, unsatisfied expression again. The probe touched her mind. It was happening too often for Edward not to be some sort of natural Legilimens, or whatever his species called it.</p><p> </p><p>“Edward Cullen is staring at you,” Jessica giggled in Bella’s ear.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s probably because I’m the new girl.” Bella responded. She glanced at Jessica’s teasing expression and started staring back at Edward. “Stop looking at him.”</p><p> </p><p>She snickered, but she looked away. Bella raised an eyebrow, contemplating violence if she kept making fun.</p><p> </p><p>Mike interrupted them then; he was planning an epic battle of the blizzard in the carpark after school and wanted us to join. Jessica agreed almost too enthusiastically, though Mike didn’t seem to notice. The way Jessica looked at Mike, it left little doubt that she would ever say no to anything Mike suggested. ‘If I can get Mike to be more interested in Jessica, then he might leave me alone,’ Bella thought. ‘I hate to leave a good snowball fight, but it might make him focus on her more.’</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, but I can’t tonight. I have to go grocery shopping right after school. Charlie has nothing in his cupboards.” Bella joked.</p><p> </p><p>Mike looked slightly crestfallen, but he understood Bella’s reasons. However, when the students went to leave the cafeteria and head to their next class, everyone groaned in unison. It was raining, washing all traces of snow away.</p><p> </p><p>Mike complained all the way to Biology. Bella rolled her eyes at Mike and slid into her seat. Edward wasn’t there yet, but Bella didn’t have to wait long.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello,” Edward said softly in his musical voice. His dazzling face was more open and friendly than it had been last week.</p><p> </p><p>Bella met his eyes and smiled. She froze for a moment. His eyes weren’t black anymore, but a gold/butterscotch. It reminded her of how Remus’s eyes would glow gold when he was angry or stressed. Before she could think more on it, Bella was distracted by the lab they were doing. Looking at onion root tips and labelling what phases of mitosis they represented. They weren’t supposed to use their books, but Bella wouldn’t have needed it anyone. She already knew this. They had twenty minutes to label them all and they had to work in pairs.</p><p> </p><p>“Ladies first, partner?” Edward asked, smiling crookedly in that charming way of his. Bella smiled back calmly. She would not allow his gorgeousness to frazzle her. Veela were worse. At least, that was what she was telling herself.</p><p> </p><p>Bella checked the first slide. “Prophase.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you mind if I look?” He asked as Bella began to remove the slide. His hands caught Bella’s. His fingers were ice-cold, like he’d been in a snow drift right before class. That wasn’t too hard to believe. Poor circulation can do that. But that wasn’t why Bella pulled her hand away so fast, it was because it stung her hand, as if an electric current has passed through them. Bella was suddenly, if very briefly, overwhelmed by a sensation of Death. She’d felt something like this before, when she touched Crookshanks after he’d killed a mouse. But it was not as strong as the shock she’d just felt from Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” He said softly, pulling his hand back immediately. He continued to reach for the microscope, however.</p><p> </p><p>Bella, shaking off her surprise at the sensation, smiled pleasantly at him. “It’s fine. It’s a cold day, after all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Prophase,” He said, agreeing with her previous statement. He quickly changed out the slide for the next one. “Anaphase.”</p><p> </p><p>“May I?” Bella said, amusement colouring her tone.</p><p> </p><p>Edward smirked in response and pushed the microscope towards her.</p><p> </p><p>She looked through the eyepiece. It was indeed anaphase. Bella winked at him. “You’re right. Unsurprising.”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled softly. “Slide three?” he asked, offering it to Bella. She held out her hand and he carefully slid it into her palm. It seemed like he was being careful not to touch her skin again. Bella quirked an eyebrow at that. Had he’d been a regular human, he would have wanted to warm his hand against hers, even if subconsciously; that’s just what mammals do, seek warmth. Edward did not to that. This added another check in ‘The Cullens’ Aren’t Human’ box.</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked at the slide. “Interphase.” She passed him the microscope before he could ask for it. He took a swift peek, seeing that Bella was correct, wrote down the answer. Bella would have written it while he looked, but his clear, elegant script intimidated her a little. Next to his writing, Bella’s looked like Hagrid’s. Clumsy.</p><p> </p><p>Edward and Bella finished before anyone else was close. Mike and his partner kept comparing the same slide over and over again, while another group had their book open under the table. It left Bella with nothing to do. She looked back over at Edward and felt the probe against her mind again. He had the same inexplicable look of frustration in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you get contacts?” Bella asked carefully, probing his mind in lightly in return.</p><p> </p><p>He seemed puzzled by Bella’s question. “No.”</p><p> </p><p><em>Not a lie</em>, Bella’s magic whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, your eyes just look a different colour than the other day. Must have just been a trick on the light.” Bella said, an innocent smile forming on her face.</p><p> </p><p>Edward shrugged and looked away. Bella smirked internally. She remembered the coal black eyes, especially when he looked hostilely at her. Now they were gold. What creature’s eyes changed from black to gold? Bella looked down and noticed that his hands were clenched.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hit a nerve?’ Bella wondered.</p><p> </p><p>Mr Banner came over to their table then, to see why they weren’t working. He looked over their shoulders to glance at their completed lab and then stared more intently to check the answers.</p><p> </p><p>“So, Edward, didn’t you think Isabella should have had a chance with the microscope?”</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” Edward corrected automatically. “Actually, she identified three of the five.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella felt a little bit touched that Edward would stick up for her.</p><p> </p><p>Mr Banner looked at Bella now, his expression was sceptical. ‘Fuck you, you think I couldn’t have figured this out without big brain here?’</p><p> </p><p>“Have you done this lab before?” Mr Banner asked.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled defiantly. “Not with onion root. Whitefish blastula.”</p><p> </p><p>Mr Banner nodded. “Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” he said after a moment. “I guess it’s good you two are lab partners.” He mumbled something else as he walked away, but Bella didn’t catch it. Probably something else sexist, the bitchy part of Bella’s brain whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s too bad about the snow, isn’t it?” Edward asked. Bella raised an eyebrow; she could tell he was forcing himself to make conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I have missed snow.” Bella said without really thinking about it.</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked. “You wouldn’t get much snow in Arizona.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed lightly. “Definitely not. But I haven’t always lived in Arizona. Wasn’t my favourite place. The sky is too boring. Always blue.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smirked. “Compared with here, where it’s always grey.”</p><p> </p><p>“Eh, at least its different levels of grey. And snow is always a bonus for me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Where did you live before Arizona, to make you love snow so much?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blinked. She couldn’t say Scotland, she couldn’t have that getting around. “North.”   </p><p> </p><p>“So, like Canada or Alaska?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled. “Something like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you choose to come to Forks, if you had a life in Arizona?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s … complicated.” If he even knew the half of it.</p><p> </p><p>“I can keep up.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella was silent for a few moments, choosing her words carefully. “My parents… they died.”</p><p> </p><p>“That doesn’t sound so complex,” he disagreed, but his tone turned suddenly sympathetic. “When did it happen?”</p><p> </p><p>“Last September, not long after my birthday.” Bella had chosen to make her own birthdate Hermione’s. A date she would remember, but not her own, so as to not give her away.</p><p> </p><p>“And you couldn’t stay in Phoenix?” Edward surmised, but his tone was still kind.</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “No, I had a godmother and her grandson.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why didn’t you stay with them?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella didn’t know why he was so interested, but he continued to stare at her with penetrating eyes, as if her life’s story was somehow vitally important.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t want to impose on their company. Andy had just lost her daughter and son-in-law not long before I lost my parents. I didn’t want to, well.” Bella said, half-smiling, sadly. </p><p> </p><p>“And your godmother sent you here to live with your uncle while she and her grandson mourned.” He said it as an assumption again, not as a question. It was kind of annoying.</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s chin raised slightly. “No, she did not send me here. I sent myself.”</p><p> </p><p>His eyebrows knit together. “I don’t understand.” He admitted, and he seemed unnecessarily frustrated by that fact.</p><p> </p><p>“I stayed with them, but I could tell my grief was adding too much stress on Andy. I had met Charlie very briefly before, so I decided I should get to know him and spend time with him instead.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded slowly. “But now you are unhappy, because you miss your parents and your godmother.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “It’s nice getting to know my uncle. He’s helping me get through this. I mean, he also just lost a brother.” That wasn’t un-true. Charlie <em>was</em> mourning for his brother as if it had happened recently, but that’s because he <em>didn’t</em> know until just recently.</p><p> </p><p>Soon the bell rang, and Edward left as swiftly as he had arrived, and left Bella staring after him in the wake of his graceful exit.</p><p> </p><p>Mike skipped quickly to Bella’s side and picked up her books for her. Bella imagined him with a wagging tail. </p><p> </p><p>“That was awful,” He groaned. “They all looked exactly the same. You’re lucky you had Cullen for a partner.”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t have any trouble with it,” Bella said, stung by his assumption, like Mr Banner’s assumption. Bella regretted the snub instantly at Mike’s crestfallen expression. “I’ve done the lab before, though.” Bella added before his feelings could get really hurt. He only meant well.</p><p> </p><p>“Cullen seemed friendly enough today compared to last Monday.” He said as they shrugged their raincoats on. He didn’t seem pleased about it.</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged, choosing to sound indifferent. “Yeah, I’m sure last Monday was just a headache or something.”</p><p> </p><p>Gym passed quickly, as it always did. Bella wanted to get home as soon as possible so she could figure out what that feeling was when she and Edward touched hands.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie wouldn’t be home for a few hours, so Bella went outside and sat on the back stoop. She closed her eyes and meditated. It was getting easier and easier to tap into her Master of Death powers every time she meditated. Death had told her it was because she was strengthening her connection to her Core. As the decades passed, she would soon be as powerful as Death themself, a God unto herself.</p><p> </p><p>She meditated on the electricity, the Death she felt when she touched Edward. It was just the weekend, perhaps he went out hunting with his family while they were out in the wilderness? Charlie said they go camping a lot. But the strength of the sensation was way stronger than just hunting a few times a year. She re-examined the memory in her mind’s eye and tried to focus on his essence, reaching out with her mind, with her magic.</p><p> </p><p>‘His soul reeks of it,’ Bella thought. ‘Reeks of Death. That’s so odd. But there aren’t a lot of species that have to kill to survive, and even less that kill for fun. His essence doesn’t seem twisted, he’s not a psychopath.’ She tried to search harder, but all she could tell was that he hadn’t killed a human being for a very, very long time, at least, not within the last 70 years. She could tell that he was at least, 100 years old, give or take. But he was extremely young in appearance.</p><p> </p><p>Bella wished she was more in touch with her abilities, then she’d be able to tell exactly what he was. There was a loud screech of a bird that sounded so close, like it was right next to her head, which broke Bella’s concentration. She was immediately snapped back into her own mind.  Bella growled with annoyance. She’d try again another day. She had to start dinner for Charlie in a minute.</p><p> </p><p>At least, it narrowed down her search. Like she’d said, very few magical creatures had to kill to survive. At least, in this day and age. Most people could just buy whatever meat products they needed, and it was rare for the types of magical creatures that required meat, to live outside of sanctuaries, having been hunted to near extinction by wizard and muggle kind alike. And also, his youthful appearance. Un-aging. Like her. A spark of hope warmed in her belly. Maybe, just maybe, she might not face eternity alone. Even if she and Edward only remained as friends, at least she would have company.</p><p> </p><p>Bella tried not to think about her mortality, or immortality for that matter. Voldemort had searched for it, desperately, for all his life. And yet, without even wanting it at all, it is given to Bella. The Philosopher’s Stone and Dumbledore’s trick with the Mirror of Erised all over again. Bella had already lost so much, her parents, her godfathers, some of her adopted family, friends. And now, despite it all, she was going to outlive them and lose all her family again, over and over again, because of this wretched immortality that she hadn’t asked for. A part of her wished to go back to England and spend as much time with her friends as she could before they eventually died of old age or disease or from some accident. But, she knew it was getting too late for that. People would notice that she wasn’t aging. It took a lot to leave, to hide, but Hermione and Ron had encouraged her. They wouldn’t be able to come visit her for a long time. The disappearance of the Woman-Who-Conquered would put many eyes on them.</p><p> </p><p>Bella had left a note, of course. One that said she was taking a long sabbatical, to heal, and that she wouldn’t be contactable while she left to travel the world. As far as Wizarding Britain and Ireland knew, she was just taking a break. Only Hermione and Ron knew for sure, though Bella was sure others suspected that she had left for the specific purpose of disappearing. No one could search for her though, especially since Bella sent regular, untraceable letters to various friends about her travels, to make no one would come after her. She did miss her friends very much, but it was safer for everyone if she ceased to formally exist.</p><p> </p><p>With those cheery thoughts in mind, Bella went inside to prepare dinner.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Smoosh, Avoided Death by Magic, Obviously</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3</p><p> </p><p>When Bella got up the next morning, she noticed that there was no fog, but a fine layer of snow dusting the ground outside. A wide grin crossed her face. Looking out to the woods, it looked exactly like the Forbidden Forest just as winter was starting. All the rain from the day before, however, had frozen solid, coating the needles on the trees in fantastic patterns, but also making the driveway a deadly ice slick.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie had already left for work by the time Bella made it downstairs. In a lot of ways, living with Charlie reminded Bella of living alone in Grimmauld Place after Kreacher died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Bella found herself revelling in the aloneness instead of being lonely. It was nice, to just be centred in herself and at peace, in the quiet of the morning. But then the grief had slowly set back in again. Maybe living alone hadn’t been such a good idea. At least she was here now.</p><p> </p><p>Bella quickly ate a bowl of cereal and a glass of cranberry juice. She felt excited to go to school, and it frightened her. She knew it wasn’t the “stimulating” learning environment she was anticipating or seeing her new “friends”. If she was being honest with herself, Bella knew she was just eager to get to school so she could see Edward Cullen. And that was very, very stupid. He and his family weren’t even human!</p><p> </p><p>‘No,’ Bella’s mind whispered unhelpfully. ‘It’s not that he’s not human that bothers you. You don’t have a problem with non-humans. It’s cos you like him. So much so, you get all tongue-tied and chatty. You’re not chatty by nature.’</p><p> </p><p>“Shut-up.” Bella hissed to herself as she stepped out the front door. She stepped mindlessly into her truck, moving on autopilot until she turned the engine. She was well aware, human or not, Edward was far, far out of Bella Swan’s league. Bella Potter? Maybe. But Bella Swan would never be able to land a guy like that, not in a million years. Bella scolded herself for being anxious to see him, especially since she knew nothing would come of it.</p><p> </p><p>While driving to school, Bella pondered Mike and Eric, and the obvious difference in how teenage boys responded to her here, compared to her life back in Britain. She was sure that she looked exactly the same. Perhaps, the boys in Britain had watched Bella go through the awkward phases of adolescence and still thought of her that way. Perhaps it was because she was a novelty here in Forks, where novelties were few and far in between. Whatever the reasons, Mike’s puppy dog behaviour and Eric’s apparent rivalry with him were disconcerting for Bella. She would probably prefer to be ignored. Bella’s truck seemed to have no problem with the black ice that covered the roads. Bella did drive very cautiously, however.</p><p> </p><p>When she got out of her truck at school, Bella saw why she’d had so little trouble. Something silver caught her eye, and she walked to the back of the truck, to examine her tires. There were thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. Charlie had gotten up at who knows how early, to put snow chains on her truck. Bella’s throat suddenly felt tight. She wasn’t used to being taken care of, and Charlie’s unspoken concern caught her by surprise. She was standing by the back corner of the truck, struggling with the sudden wave of emotion the snow chains had brought on, when she heard an odd sound.</p><p> </p><p>It was a high-pitched screech, and it was fast becoming painfully loud. Bella looked up, startled. She saw several things simultaneously. Nothing was moving in slow motion, the way it does in Muggle television and movies. Instead, the adrenaline rush seemed to make Bella’s brain work much faster, and she was able to absorb in clear detail, several things at once.</p><p> </p><p>Edward Cullen was standing four car down from her, his face one among a hundred of faces, staring at her in horror. But the more immediate importance was the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the carpark. Bella’s first instinct was to apparate away, but her suddenly disappearing would cause some fright, not to mention breaking the Statute of Secrecy. With Quidditch trained reflexes and a bit of magic, Bella threw herself as hard and fast under her truck as she could. She knew she’d get scraped hands, but it was better than dying. It was lucky, because a second later, Bella heard the shattering crunch of the van folding around the truck bed. Bella had to roll under the tan car she’d parked next to, as the van rocketed against the front of the truck, pushing her truck back towards the tan car.</p><p> </p><p>Bella squeezed out from under the cars and rushed around to the blue van. She noted that Edward was already there, right next to her, his eyes wide as he stared at her. But Bella didn’t have time to speak with him, going straight to the driver’s side of the blue van and checking the driver. Taking one look at the boy, Tyler, Bella turned and shouted to the amassing crowd.</p><p> </p><p>“Someone call an ambulance!” She cried, looking down at Tyler, who was covered in blood and glass, most of it embedded in his skin, causing his bleeding wounds. Edward came to her then.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella, are you alright?” He asked, staring straight into her eyes. Bella was glad she’d already put the smell dampening charm on, as she was currently bleeding. She’d noticed they had been lasting longer and longer, so she’d taken to applying them when she woke in the mornings. She put that down to practice, not wanting to think that maybe her MOD abilities were making her spell work more powerful. If her normal scent made Edward uncomfortable, her blood would have made it unbearable for him, another check in ‘The Cullens’ Aren’t Human’ box.</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded at him and showed him her scrapped up palms. “Just these, from crawling under the cars.” She turned back to Tyler, who was attempting to get out of the van, which Bella helped him do. Bella ignored Edward’s stare, particularly his staring at her wounds. He must be wondering why he couldn’t smell her blood. Bella was saved for answering the unasked question, the ambulance arrived shortly after that.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” Tyler said, staring at her, his eyes as wide as Edward’s had been. “I’m so sorry Bella. I hit the ice wrong. I didn’t see you…”</p><p> </p><p>Bella held up her hand. “It’s okay. I’m fine. I managed to get under my truck before you hit me.”</p><p> </p><p>Tyler looked at her hands. “You’re still scraped up though.” Saying this, brought it to the attention of the EMT, who pulled her into the ambulance with Tyler.</p><p> </p><p>“You probably won’t need stiches,” The EMT said to her. “But I want the doctor to check it anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed, but she knew better than to argue with Healers.</p><p> </p><p>‘Damn’, she thought. ‘I won’t be able to heal these with magic. People have seen them.’</p><p> </p><p>Edward hopped into the ambulance with them, his eyes worried. “Are you sure it’s just the scrapes, Bella? You didn’t hit your head or anything getting under your truck?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella was touched by his concern. “No, I don’t think so. What about you? You were pretty close nearby; you didn’t get scratched or anything?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward shrugged. “I don’t think so. Do you want me to come with you? You <em>were</em> nearly just squashed by a van.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned. “Sure, I <em>have</em> had a bit of a shock. The moral support might do me good.” With that, the EMTs closed the ambulance doors and took them to the hospital. Edward disappeared shortly after, claiming he needed the loo.</p><p> </p><p>They took Tyler and Bella to the emergency room, to get them both looked at, one of the doctors had a quick look over her hands before setting a nurse to clean the cuts. Charlie arrived shortly after, eyes full of worry. Bella smiled and told him what had happened. He hugged her very tightly then, as if worried she was about to disappear.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m find, Uncle Charlie. I had enough time to get under the car.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie smiled weakly. “That was some pretty quick thinking, Bells.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “Adrenaline, I guess. Just some scrapes on my hands. Otherwise, I’m all good.” Charlie was then shooed from the room, to wait in the waiting room.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, Edward walked back into the room. “So, what’s the verdict?”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with me! The other doctor came in and looked at my hands and left again. They won’t let me leave.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, it’s all about who you know, I came to spring you.” Edward replied with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Dr Cullen arrived moments later, and he was just as gorgeous as his adoptive son. Blonde and young, handsomer than any movie star. Same pale skin and circles under his eyes like Edward. He was clearly the same species as whatever Edward was, his hands just as cold as they examined Bella’s. Bella smiled serenely, as if she didn’t notice the cold. She did notice Dr Cullen’s frown. He had tried to subtly smell her before, probably to confirm what Edward had most likely told him of Bella’s scent being almost non-existent, and Bella wasn’t surprised by his confusion. He also had the aura of Death around him. Bella decided then and there that the Cullens’ must be vampires of some sort. The cold skin was only found in vampires and some other magical creatures that the Cullens’ couldn’t possibly be. But she wasn’t sure what kind of vampire they were and why their eyes were gold or black. More study was needed.</p><p> </p><p>Tyler was in the bed next to Bella, looking far worse than she did, bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. He was staring anxiously at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella, I’m so sorry!” he said. It wasn’t the first time either.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine Tyler, really. You look much worse than me. Are you alright?” As they spoke, nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a myriad of shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek.</p><p> </p><p>He ignored Bella’s question. “I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong…” He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his face. He must be in shock, as he had already said most of this.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about it, you missed me after all.”</p><p> </p><p>“How did you get under your truck so fast? You were there and then you were gone.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “I guess I just have good reflexes. All that sport, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>Tyler nodded, but Bella wasn’t sure he believed her, and from the look of Edward’s face, he didn’t either.</p><p> </p><p>Dr Cullen drew Bella’s attention again. “You are sure you didn’t hit your head at all?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I would definitely have felt that.”</p><p> </p><p>Dr Cullen examined her head anyway, just in case, pressing down softly.</p><p> </p><p>“Tender?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not really.” Bella replied, she’d had far worse.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, your father is in the waiting room, you can go home now. You’ve had a bit of a shock.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can’t I go back to school?” Bella asked, worried that Charlie was going to be overly attentive of her.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you should take it easy and get some rest. Edward, you should go back to school.” Dr Cullen said.</p><p> </p><p>Edward chuckled softly at that. “Someone has to spread the good news that the both of you survived.” He said, slightly smugly, making Bella roll her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually,” Dr Cullen corrected. “most of the school seems to be in the waiting room.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no,” Bella moaned, covering her face with her hands.</p><p> </p><p>Dr Cullen raised his eyebrows. “Do you want to stay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nope!” Bella exclaimed, jumping easily to her feet.</p><p> </p><p>“If your hands sting too much, take some Panadol.”</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t hurt that bad,” Bella insisted, thinking back and comparing these scrapes to her injuries after the Third Task. Not to mention the pain of <em>crucio</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“It sounds like you were extremely lucky,” Dr Cullen said, smiling as he signed Bella’s chart with a flourish.</p><p> </p><p>“Just good reflexes.” Bella said with a smile, drawing a disbelieving look from Edward.</p><p> </p><p>Dr Cullen looked away then. “I’m afraid that you’ll have to stay with us just a little bit longer,” He said to Tyler, checking the boy’s cuts.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled at Edward as he walked with her out of the room. The waiting room was more unpleasant than Bella had originally feared. It seemed like every face Bella knew in Forks was there, staring at her. Charlie rushed up to her side.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with me, Charlie.” Bella assured him once again.</p><p> </p><p>“What did the doctor say?”</p><p> </p><p>“Dr Cullen saw me, and he said I was fine, and I could go home.” Bella sighed. Mike, Jessica and Eric were all there, beginning to converge on them. “Let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie put one arm behind Bella’s back, not quite touching her, and led her to the glass doors of the exit. Bella waved sheepishly to her friends, hoping to convey that they didn’t need to worry anymore. It was a huge relief to get into Charlie’s police cruiser. They drove in silence, which was fine with Bella. Her thoughts were wrapped up in what species of vampire Edward and his family were.</p><p> </p><p>Bella was consumed by the mystery that Edward and the Cullens’ presented. And more than a little obsessed with Edward himself.</p><p> </p><p>Bella decided to go to bed early that night. Charlie continued to watch her anxiously, and it was getting on Bella’s nerves. Bella stopped on her way to grab three Panadol from the bathroom. They did help, and Bella drifted to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>That was the first time she dreamt of Edward Cullen.</p><p> </p><p>In her dream, it was very dark, except from the light that was radiating from Edward’s skin. Bella couldn’t see his face, just his back as he walked away from her, leaving her in the blackness. No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t catch up to him; no matter how loud she called, he never turned. Troubled, Bella woke in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep again for what seemed like a very long time. After that, he was in Bella’s dreams nearly every night, but always on the periphery, never within reach.</p><p> </p><p>The month that followed the accident was uneasy, tense and at first, embarrassing.</p><p> </p><p>To Bella’s dismay, she found herself the centre of attention for the rest of that week. Tyler Crowley was impossible, following Bella around, obsessed with making amends to her somehow. Bella tried to convince him what she wanted more than anything else was for him to forget all about it, especially since nothing actually happened to her, but he remained insistent. He followed Bella between classes and sat at their now-crowded lunch table. Mike and Eric were even less friendly toward him than they were to each other, which made Bella worry that she’d gained another unwelcome fan.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone was very impressed with how Bella had managed to get out of the way of the van. Bella would always blush and thank all the time she spent playing sports and adrenaline. Even after all her time being in the spotlight, Bella was still not a fan of being noticed.</p><p> </p><p>Edward seemed to talk to her less, Bella assumed it was because he was afraid of her figuring out his secret. They’d gone back to ignoring each other in Biology. Mike, at least, was pleased by the obvious coolness between Bella and Edward. Bella could see Mike had been worried that Edward coming with her to the hospital might have endeared him to her, and Mike was relieved that it seemed to have the opposite effect. He grew more confident, sitting on the edge of Bella and Edward’s table to talk before Biology class started, ignoring Edward completely as he ignored them.</p><p> </p><p>The snow washed away for good after than one dangerously icy day. Mike was disappointed he’d never gotten to stage his snowball fight but pleased that the beach trip would soon be possible. The cold and snow had kept those plans at bay so far.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica made Bella aware of another event looming on the horizon. She called the first Tuesday of March to ask Bella’s permission to invite Mike to the girl’s choice spring dance in two weeks.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure you don’t mind … you weren’t planning to ask him?” She persisted when Bella told her she didn’t mind in the least.</p><p> </p><p>“No Jess, I’m not going,” Bella assured her. Dancing was glaringly outside of Bella’s range of abilities. Evidence: Yule Ball.</p><p> </p><p>“It will be really fun.” Jessica’s attempt to convince her was half-hearted. Bella suspected that Jessica enjoyed Bella’s inexplicable popularity more than her actual company.</p><p> </p><p>“You have fun with Mike,” Bella encouraged.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Bella was surprised that Jessica wasn’t her usual gushing self in Trig and Spanish. She was silent as she walked by my side between classes and Bella was afraid to ask her why. If Mike had turned her down, Bella was the last person she would want to tell.</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s fears were strengthened when during lunch, Jessica sat as far from Mike as possible, chatting animatedly with Eric. Mike was unusually quiet. Mike was still quiet when he walked Bella to class, the uncomfortable look on his face a bad sign. But he didn’t broach the subject until Bella was in her seat and he was perched on her desk. As always, Bella was electrically aware of Edward sitting close enough to touch, as distant as if he were merely an invention of Bella’s imagination.</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Mike said, looking at the floor. “Jessica asked me to the spring dance.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s great.” Bella made her voice bright and enthusiastic. “You’ll have a lot of fun with Jessica.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well…” He floundered as he examined Bella’s smile, clearly not happy with her response. “I told her I had to think about it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why would you do that?” Bella let disapproval colour her tone, though she was relieved that he hadn’t given her an absolute no.</p><p> </p><p>His face was bright red as he looked down again.</p><p> </p><p>“I was wondering if… well, if you might be planning to ask me.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella paused for a moment. But Bella saw from the corner of her eye, Edward’s head tilt reflexively in Bella’s direction.</p><p> </p><p>“Mike, I think you should tell her yes,” Bella said slowly.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you already ask someone?” Did Edward notice how Mike’s eyes flickered in his direction?</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella assured him. “I’m not going to the dance at all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella didn’t want to tell him about how she lacked the grace for dance that she had for other sports, so she quickly made new plans. “I’m going to Seattle that Saturday,” Bella explained. She needed to get out of town anyway, it was suddenly the perfect time to go.</p><p> </p><p>“Can’t you go some other weekend?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, no,” Bella said. “So, you shouldn’t make Jess wait any longer, it’s rude.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, you’re right,” He mumbled and turned dejectedly to his seat. Bella closed her eyes and pressed her fingers into her temples, trying to cleanse herself of teenage drama. Mr Banner began talking, so Bella opened her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Edward was staring at her curiously, that same familiar edge of frustration even more distinct black eyes. Bella stared back, surprised, expecting him to look quickly away. But instead, he continued to gaze with probing intensity into Bella’s eyes. She felt the probe against her brain, but she did not look away. She considered using Legilimency on him in return and was about to do so when the teacher called on Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Cullen?” the teacher said, seeking the answer to a question that Bella hadn’t been paying attention to.</p><p> </p><p>“The Krebs Cycle,” Edward answered, seeming reluctant as he turned to look at Mr Banner.</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked down and focused, regaining control of herself. She loved and hated how Edward had so much influence over her, his hypnotic gaze, equally as hypnotic as Bella had been told her eyes were. It was bordering on pathetic. </p><p> </p><p>Near the end of the lesson, Edward spoke to her. “Bella?” His voice shouldn’t have been so familiar, like the warmth of covers and blankets on a cold morning.</p><p> </p><p>Bella turned to him, a wry smile on her face and her brows lifted. “What? Are you speaking to me again?” Bella said, sarcastic as ever.</p><p> </p><p>His lips twitched, fighting a smile. “No, not really.” He admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“Then what do you want, Edward?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” He sounded sincere. “I’m being very rude, I know. But it’s better this way, really.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella just smiled at him and turned away. The bell rung soon after and she grabbed her books quickly before heading to gym without looking back. She missed Edward’s mystified and frustrated expression, not knowing how much her enigma was annoying him. Taste of his own medicine.</p><p> </p><p>They’d just moved onto basketball, but it felt similar in some ways to Quidditch, if it wasn’t played on brooms and if the ball was the Quaffle and the snitch combined.</p><p> </p><p>After gym, Bella hurried back to her truck, longing for home. She was tired and she wanted to be at home before she broke down Edward’s words. She almost had a stroke when she rounded the corner of a building and saw a tall, dark figure leaning against the side of her truck. Then Bella realised it was just Eric. She started walking again.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Eric,” Bella called.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi Bella.”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s up?” She said as she was unlocking the door. She wasn’t paying attention to the uncomfortable edge in his voice and she chucked her bag into the cab, so his next words took her by surprise.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, I was just wondering … if you would go to the spring dance with me?” his voice broke on the last word.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought it was the girl’s choice?” Bella said, too startled to be diplomatic.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, yeah.” He admitted, shamefaced.</p><p> </p><p>Bella quickly regained her composure and tried to make her smile warm. “Thank you for asking me, but I’m going to be in Seattle that day.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” He said. “Maybe next time then.”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe.” Bella replied, but she bit her lip, hoping he wouldn’t try again. He was too young. All the boys here were. Except the Cullens’, but they didn’t know she knew that.</p><p> </p><p>Eric slouched off, back towards school. Bella heard a low chuckle. Edward was walking past the front of Bella’s truck, looking straight forward, his lips pressed together. Bella rolled her eyes and hopped into the cab of the truck, slamming the door hard. She reversed out into the aisle. Edward was in his car already, two spaces down, sliding out smoothly in front of her, cutting Bella off. He stopped there, to wait for his family; Bella could see the four of them walking this way, but still by the cafeteria. Bella considered taking out the rear of his shiny Volvo, but there were too many witnesses. Bella looked in the review mirror, seeing that a line was beginning to form. Directly behind her, Tyler Crowley was in his recently acquired, used Sentra, waving. Bella was too annoyed to acknowledge him.</p><p> </p><p>While Bella was sitting, looking everywhere but the car in front, she heard a knock on her passenger side window. Bella looked over; it was Tyler. Bella looked back in her rear-view mirror, confused. His car was still running, the door left open. Bella leaned across the cab to crank the window down. It was still. Bella got it about halfway down before she gave up.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry Tyler, I’m stuck behind Cullen.” Bella was annoyed, obviously the holdup wasn’t her fault.</p><p><br/>
“Oh, I know. I just wanted to ask you something while we’re trapped here.” He grinned.</p><p> </p><p>This could not be happening.</p><p> </p><p>“Will you ask me to the spring dance?” He continued.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not going to be in town, Tyler.” Bella’s voice sounded a little sharp. She had to remember that it wasn’t his fault that Mike and Eric had already used up her quota of patience for the day.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, Mike said that.” He admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“Then why –”</p><p> </p><p>Tyler shrugged. “I was hoping that you were just letting him down easy.” Okay, it was completely his fault.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry Tyler,” Bella said, working to hide her irritation. “I really am going out of town.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s cool. We still have prom.”</p><p> </p><p>“Er, I doubt I’ll be going to that either Tyler.”</p><p> </p><p>And before he could respond, the Cullens’ were already beginning to drive away, so Bella took the opportunity to drive away also. However, in his rear-view mirror, Edward’s eyes were on her. He was unquestionably shaking with laughter. Being a vampire, he probably heard every word. Bella flipped him off, making him laugh even harder.</p><p> </p><p>Even Bella cracked a slight smile. “Yeah, fuck you too, Edward.” She said out loud, knowing he (and the rest of the car’s occupants) could hear her. That made him raise an eyebrow in surprise and she smirked before she turned off the road into the other direction they were going.</p><p> </p><p>When she got home, Bella decided to make chicken enchiladas for dinner. It was a long process and it kept her busy. She could have done it faster with magic, but she didn’t want to risk the appliances in Charlie’s kitchen. She had accidentally made a muggle object explode before. While Bella was simmering the onions and the chilies, the phone rang. Bella was almost afraid to answer it, but it might be Charlie calling.</p><p> </p><p>It was Jessica and she was jubilant; Mike had caught her after school to accept her invitation. Bella celebrated with her briefly while she stirred. She had to go, she wanted to call Angela and Lauren. Bella suggested, with casual innocence, that Angela, the shy girl who had biology with Bella, could ask Eric. And Lauren, a standoffish girl who had always ignored Bella at lunch, could ask Tyler; Bella heard he was still available. Jess thought that was a great idea. Now that she was sure of Mike, she actually sounded sincere when she said she wished Bella would go to the dance. Bella gave her the Seattle excuse.</p><p> </p><p>While Bella focused on dinner, she couldn’t help her mind from wandering to her earlier conversation with Edward. Clearly he was trying to create distance between them, to protect her from his vampireness. Bella rolled her eyes. But then, Edward had no reason not to believe that Bella was anything but a regular human. He couldn’t know that she was immortal too. Otherwise, he might be running from her instead, since she could throw fireballs from her hands. And from what Bella had read, all vampires were susceptible to fire.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie was suspicious when he came home and smell the green peppers. Bella couldn’t blame him; the closest edible Mexican food was probably in southern California. But he was a cop, even if just a small-town cop, so he was brave enough to take the first bite. He seemed to like it. It was fun to watch as he slowly began trusting Bella in the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>“Charlie?” Bella asked when he was almost done.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um, I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday … if that’s okay?” Bella didn’t really want to ask for permission, but she felt rude, so she tacked it on. If he said no, she could just go anyway.</p><p> </p><p>“Why?” He sounded surprised, as if he were unable to imagine something that Forks couldn’t offer.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I wanted to get a few books, the library here is pretty limited, and maybe look at some clothes.” Bella had more money than anyone in this town, maybe not including the Cullens’, might as well spend some of it. Well, not counting the petrol she would have to purchase.</p><p> </p><p>“That truck probably doesn’t get very good petrol mileage.” He said, echoing my thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>“I know, I’ll stop in Montesano and Olympia, maybe even Tacoma if I have to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you going all by yourself?” He asked, and Bella couldn’t tell if he was suspecting that Bella might have a boyfriend or just worried about car trouble.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“Seattle is a big city; you could get lost.” He fretted.</p><p> </p><p>“Charlie, London is a five times the size of Seattle. And I can read a map, don’t worry about it.” Her accent slipped as she said ‘London’.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want me to come with you?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella tried to be crafty as she hid her horror at the suggestion. “That’s alright Charlie. I’ll probably just be in dressing rooms all day, very boring.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, okay.” The thought of sitting in women’s clothing stores for any period of time immediately put him off.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks,” Bella smiled at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Will you be back in time for the dance?”</p><p> </p><p>Grr. Only in a town this small would a father, father-figure in this case, know when the high school dances were.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I don’t dance, Charlie.”</p><p> </p><p>He did understand where Bella was coming from, he didn’t like to dance either.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. PTSD is a BITCH</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4</p><p> </p><p>The next morning in the school carpark, while attempting to shove everything inside her bag, Bella dropped her car keys. They landed in a puddle right at her feet.</p><p> </p><p>‘Great, today is already off to a fantastic start(!)’ She thought grumpily. As she bent down to grab them, a white hand flashed out and grabbed them before Bella could. She jerked upright and glared at Edward, who was now leaning casually against her truck.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, Road-Runner. Could you give me my keys back?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward held out Bella’s keys, laughing as he did so.</p><p> </p><p>“Does that make you Wile E. Coyote? Slow and dastardly?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “I think you’re the dastardly one. Why the traffic jam last night? I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don’t exist, not irritating me to death.”</p><p> </p><p>“That was for Tyler’s sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance.” Edward snickered.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “Really, and did you come up with that on your own or did he ask you to do that?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, both? He didn’t directly ask me, but let’s just say, it was a group effort.” Edward said, then he paused. “And I’m not pretending you don’t exist.”</p><p> </p><p>“So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler’s van didn’t do the job?”</p><p> </p><p>Anger flashed in his tawny eyes. His lips pressed into a hard line; all signs of humour gone. Perhaps she had pushed him too hard with her teasing. </p><p> </p><p>“Bella, you are utterly absurd,” he said, his low voice cold. Bella rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. “Wait!” He called, but Bella kept walking.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, that was rude.” He said as they walked. Bella continued to ignore him. “I’m not saying it isn’t true,” he continued, “but it was rude to say it, anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not much of an apology. What do you want, anyway?” Bella asked, turning to him at last.</p><p> </p><p>“I wanted to ask you something, but you side-tracked me,” He chuckled. He seemed to have regained his previous good humour.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you have multiple personality disorder or just extremely violent mood swings?” Bella asked, only half joking.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re doing it again.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed. “Fine then, what do you want to ask?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was wondering if, a week from Saturday, you know, the day of the spring dance --”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you trying to be funny?” Bella cut in, sure of what he was about to ask.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes were wickedly amused. “Will you please allow me to finish? I heard you say you were going into Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride.”</p><p> </p><p>That was unexpected. “Er, why?”</p><p> </p><p>“well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I’m not sure your truck can make it.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “My truck will make it.”</p><p> </p><p>“But on one tank of petrol?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why is that any of your concern?”</p><p> </p><p>“The wasting of finite resources is everyone’s business.”</p><p> </p><p>“Honestly, Edward,” Bella felt a thrill go through her as she said his name and she hated it. “I can’t keep up with you. I thought you didn’t want to be my friend.”</p><p> </p><p>“I said it would be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to be.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. Fucking vampire, trying to decide for her.</p><p> </p><p>Edward took her eyeroll as permission to continue. “It would be more … prudent for you not to be my friend.” He explained. “But I’m tired of trying to stay away from you.” His eyes were gloriously intense as he uttered that last sentence, his voice smouldering. Bella couldn’t remember how to breath for a moment. She mentally slapped herself. Why wasn’t she desensitised to him yet?</p><p> </p><p>“Will you go to Seattle with me?” He asked, still intense. Bella hadn’t yet found her voice yet, so she simply nodded.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled briefly, and then his face became serious once more. “You really should stay away from me,” he warned, and walked back the way the two of them came.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe it’s you who should be staying away from me,” Bella hissed under her breath, sure that Edward heard her, but he didn’t make any sign that he had.</p><p> </p><p>Bella made her way to English in a slightly irritated daze. She didn’t even realise when she walked in that class had already started.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for joining us, Miss Swan.” Mr Mason said in a withering tone.</p><p> </p><p>Bella flushed and hurried to her seat. It wasn’t till the end of class that Bella realised that Mike wasn’t sitting in his usual seat next to her, but both he and Eric both met her at the door, so Bella figured she wasn’t totally unforgiven. Mike seemed to be more and more like himself as they walked, gaining enthusiasm as he talked about the weather report for this weekend. The rain was supposed to take a minor break, so maybe his beach trip would be possible.</p><p> </p><p>When lunchtime came around, Bella noticed that Edward wasn’t sitting at the table with the rest of his family. Slightly disappointed, Bella went with Jessica to the table with all her friends.</p><p> </p><p>“Edward Cullen is staring at you again,” Jessica said, which surprised Bella, as she was sure he hadn’t been at the table with the rest of the Cullens’. “I wonder why he’s sitting alone today.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s head snapped up. She followed Jessica’s gaze to see Edward smiling crookedly at Bella from an empty table across the cafeteria from where he usually sat. Once he’d caught Bella’s eye, he raised one hand and motioned with his pointer finger for Bella to join him. As Bella stared in disbelief, he winked.</p><p> </p><p>“Does he mean you?” Jessica asked with an insulting amount of astonishment in her voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe he needs help with his Biology homework,” Bella muttered for her benefit. “Er, I’d better go see what he wants.” Bella could feel her staring after her as she walked away.</p><p> </p><p>When Bella reached his table, she stood behind the chair across from him, tense and unsure.</p><p> </p><p>“Why don’t you sit with me today?” he asked, smiling. Bella sat down automatically, watching him with caution. Constant vigilance and all that. He was still smiling. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be real. Bella shook her head slightly clearing her mind. Edward seemed to be waiting for her to say something.</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” She began after a moment. “This is different.”</p><p> </p><p>“I…” He paused, and then the rest of the words followed in a rush. “I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, as if she knew exactly what he meant, making Edward look at her in surprise.</p><p> </p><p>He quickly changed the subject, eying her warily. “I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’ll survive.” Bella could feel their stares boring into her back.</p><p> </p><p>“I may not give you back, though.” He said with a wicked glint in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>It made Bella laugh again, which he joined in with, though there was still a slight frown in his brows.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t look worried, however.”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella replied, smirking. “Surprised, actually. What brought this all on?”</p><p> </p><p>“I told you, I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I’m giving up.” He was still smiling, but his ochre eyes were serious.</p><p> </p><p>“Giving up, eh?” Bella replied, amused.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, giving up trying to be good. I’m just going to do what I want now and let the chips fall where they may.” His smile faded as he explained, and a hard edge crept into his voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Fate might be kind, you know. Could be a welcome change.” Bella replied, almost as cryptically.</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “I always say too much when I’m talking to you, that’s one of the problems.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella half-smiled. “I feel the same. I thought it would take more than a pretty face to make me spill the tea, but here we are.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed, but there was still a bit of confusion there.</p><p> </p><p>“So, in plain English,” Bella began again. “Are we friends now?”</p><p> </p><p>“Friends…” He mused, dubious.</p><p> </p><p>“Or not,” Bella huffed.</p><p> </p><p>He grinned. “Well, we can try, I supposed. But I’m warning you now that I’m not going to be a good friend for you.” Behind his smile, the warning was real.</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s to say I will be a good friend for you either?” Bella smirked, a dark humour in her tone, which seemed to surprise Edward, as if she wasn’t joking. “And you say that a lot, by the way.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked, letting Bella’s first statement drop. “Yes, because you’re not listening to me. I’m still waiting for you to believe it. If you’re smart, you’ll avoid me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think you’ve made your opinion on the subject of my intellect clear, too.” Bella replied, her eyes narrowing.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled apologetically.</p><p> </p><p>“So as long as I’m not at my peak level of intellect, we will try to be friends?”</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds about right.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked down at her hands, not sure where to go with this.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you thinking?” he asked curiously.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m trying to figure out what you are.” Bella replied evenly. His jaw tightened, making Bella smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you having any luck with that?” He asked in what he obviously thought was an offhanded tone.</p><p> </p><p>Bella chuckled softly. “A bit. You think you’re fitting in quite well, but you and your siblings are just a little bit too mysterious.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward raised an eyebrow. “What are your theories?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed lightly. “Oh, I have a few. Some more unlikely than others. I think I have it pretty well narrowed down, though.”</p><p> </p><p>“Won’t you tell me?” he asked, tilting his head to one side with a shockingly tempting smile.</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “And give the game away too soon? Never.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s really frustrating, you know, you not telling me what you’re thinking.” He complained.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella disagreed quickly, her eyes narrowing once again. “I can’t imagine why that would be frustrating at all, just because someone refuses to tell you what they’re thinking, even if all the while, they’re making cryptic little remarks, specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now, why would that be frustrating at all?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward grimaced. “You’ve got a bit of a temper, don’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m a Gryffindor and I don’t like double standards. But you’re right. Watching your face trying to figure me out was absolutely delicious. But I don’t hold that over your head, do I?”</p><p> </p><p>They stared at each other, unsmiling. </p><p> </p><p>He glanced over her shoulder, and then, unexpectedly, he sniggered.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Bella snapped, still annoyed.</p><p> </p><p>“Your boyfriend seems to think I’m being unpleasant to you, he’s debating whether or not to come break up our fight.” He sniggered again.</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes, which Edward caught. She had long since picked up Mike’s attempt to stake claim to her. But to not give Edward the satisfaction, she said “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but I’m sure you’re wrong, anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not. I told you, most people are easy to read.”</p><p> </p><p>“Except me, of course.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. Except you.” His mood shifted suddenly; his eyes turned brooding. “I wonder why that is.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked away from his intense stare, feeling his probe against her Occlumency shields.</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you hungry?” He asked, distractedly.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella replied. She smirked. “You?” She already knew what his answer would be.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I’m not hungry.” He replied, enjoying the same joke, not knowing that Bella understood it.</p><p> </p><p>“Thirsty maybe?” Bella asked smirking, making Edward wonder once again how much she knew, before she changed the subject. “Can you do me a favour?”</p><p> </p><p>He was suddenly wary. “That depends on what you want.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not much,” Bella assured him. He waited, guarded but curious.</p><p> </p><p>“I just wondered if you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good. Just so I’m prepared.”</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds fair.” He was pressing his lips together to keep from laughing.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then can I have one answer in return?” He all but demanded.</p><p> </p><p>“Depends on the question.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me one theory.”</p><p> </p><p>“Something supernatural.” Bella replied simply, which made Edward freeze minutely. It made Bella smirk. “Not something sci-fi. Not like Spiderman or anything like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I’m definitely not a superhero. I’m more the arch nemesis, the villain.” He smiled playfully, but his eyes were impenetrable.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked again, something she’d picked up after slowly becoming friends with Draco. “I see.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you?” His face was abruptly severe, as if he were afraid that he’d accidentally said too much.</p><p> </p><p>“I already knew you were dangerous. Any idiot could see that. Its why most of the student body avoid you. They can sense it, even subconsciously. But I don’t think you’re bad.” Bella replied, not at all unnerved by him, which was odd to Edward. People were always unnerved by him, but apparently not in this case. If anything, Edward was unnerved by her perceptiveness.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re wrong.” His voice was almost inaudible.</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “I’m known bad people Edward, very bad people. You’re not one of them. Or if you once were, you’re not now.” Edward stared at her, his eyes wide with surprise, an almost vulnerable expression on his face. He looked like he was going to say something but chose not to.</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked around the cafeteria and noticed it was almost empty, which made her sigh as she slowly rose to her feet. “We’re going to be late.” Fuck school was boring.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not going to class today,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s healthy to ditch class now and then.” He smiled up at her, but his eyes were still troubled.</p><p> </p><p>Bella tilted her head. “What’s happening in class that you don’t want to do?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward shrugged. “I just feel like ditching.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella thought for a second and then smirked. “We’re doing blood typing today, aren’t we?” She said it as if it explained everything, which made Edward almost jolt in surprise. It wasn’t odd to assume that was the topic of todays class, as the teacher had been hinting at it for the last week, but for Bella to know that that was the why he wasn’t going, was a troubling conclusion to come to.</p><p> </p><p>“What does that have to do with anything?” Edward said as evenly as he could.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed as she began to turn away from him. “Everything, Edward. It has everything to do with everything.” She felt the probe in her mind, but she kept walking, finding enjoyment in teasing him.</p><p> </p><p>Bella made it to class just in time and made it to her seat. Mr Banner explained what they were doing. That’s when it hit her, the smell of blood. She didn’t think it would hit her this hard. She put her cheek down against the cool black tabletop and tried to hold onto her consciousness. All around her, she could hear squeals, complaints and giggles as her classmates skewered their fingers. Bella breathed slowly in and out through her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella, are you alright?” Mr Banner asked, his voice was close to Bella’s head, and it sounded alarmed.</p><p> </p><p>"I already know my blood type, Mr Banner,” Bella said in a weak voice. She was afraid to raise her head.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you feeling faint?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, sir.” Bella muttered, noticing her British accent slipped out for a fraction of a second.</p><p> </p><p>“Can someone take Bella to the nurse please?” He called. Bella didn’t have to look up to know that Mike volunteered.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you walk?” Mr Banner asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Bella whispered. ‘Just get me out of here,’ Bella thought. ‘I’ll crawl.’</p><p> </p><p>Mike seemed eager as he put his arm around Bella’s waist and pulled her arm over his shoulder. Bella leaned heavily against him on the way out of the classroom. Mike towed Bella slowly across campus. When they were around the edge of the cafeteria, out of sight of building four in case Mr Banner was watching, Bella stopped.</p><p> </p><p>“Just let me sit for a minute, please?” Bella asked. He helped her sit on the edge of the walk. Bella didn’t think that the smell would affect her like this. The sound of the kids around her and the smell of blood had taken her right back to the Battle of Hogwarts. She felt her Occlumency shields slip.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, you’re green Bella.” Mike said nervously.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?” A different voice called from the distance. It was Edward. Bella tried to get a hold of her shielding, but she was too unfocused. Edward would soon see what she was seeing, and she couldn’t stop it. “What’s wrong, is she hurt?” His voice was closer now, and he sounded upset.</p><p> </p><p>Mike seemed stressed. “I think she’s fainted. I don’t know what happened, she didn’t even stick her finger.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” Edward’s voice was right beside her, his voice still sounding worried. His unconscious Legilimency was breaking through. Maybe a minute, and he’d see these memories that she was trying to push down. “Can you hear me?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella groaned. Edward chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>“I was taking her to the nurse,” Mike explained in a defensive tone. “but she wouldn’t go any further.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll take her.” Edward said. Bella could hear the smile still in his voice. “You can go back to class.”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Mike protested. “I’m supposed to do it.”</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, the footpath disappeared from under her. Edward had scooped her up in his arms, as easily as if she’d weighed five kilos, instead of 63 kilos</p><p> </p><p>“Put me down!” Bella exclaimed. ‘Please, please do not let me vomit on him.’</p><p> </p><p>“Hey!” Mike called, already ten paces behind them. Edward ignored him.</p><p> </p><p>“You look awful.” Edward told her, grinning. At that second, the shields snapped, and Edward nearly dropped her.</p><p> </p><p>“Put me back on the footpath,” Bella moaned, ignoring how Edward had frozen, watching the PTSD flashback in her brain.  He held Bella away from his body, gingerly, supporting all her weight with just his arms. He didn’t respond, watching the visions, the Battle. Lavender Brown’s mauled body. Fred Weasley’s last laugh. The bodies of the dead in the Great Hall. British accented voices calling Bella’s name. A high, cruel cackle. The blood, so much blood. Bella managed to get a hold of her Occlumency and shut him out instantly.</p><p> </p><p>“Wha -? What was that?” He exclaimed. He froze, realising he’d just given his mind-reading talent away.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s why I can’t stand the smell of blood.” Bella snapped, surprising him with her acknowledgement of what he’d just seen.</p><p> </p><p>Edward began to walk again and went straight into the nurse’s office. He finally understood, somewhat, that thousand-foot stare that Bella sometimes had when she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings. It looked like a battlefield. Just what had Bella been through?</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my,” Bella heard a female voice gasp.</p><p> </p><p>“She fainted in Biology.” Edward explained, his voice monotone. He set Bella down on the bed, still processing what he had seen. “She’s just a little faint. They’re blood typing.”</p><p> </p><p>The nurse nodded sagely. “There’s always one.” To Bella she said, “Just lie down for a minute, honey; it’ll pass.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Bella sighed. The nausea was already fading.</p><p> </p><p>“Does this happen a lot?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “Only around other people’s blood and only … only for the last few years.”</p><p> </p><p>The nurse turned to Edward. “You can go back to class now.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m supposed to stay with her.” He said this with such assured authority that, even though she pursed her lips, the nurse didn’t argue it further.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll get you some ice for your head.” She said to Bella before bustling out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>“You were right,” Bella said to Edward, letting her eyes close again, seeing the images behind her eyes growing fainter and fainter.</p><p> </p><p>Edward, who was also pondering the images he saw. “I usually am, but about what in particular this time?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ditching is healthy.” Bella practiced breathing evenly.</p><p> </p><p>“You scared me for a minute there,” He admitted after a pause. His tone made it sound like he was confessing a humiliating weakness. “I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ha ha.” Bella said, enunciating the syllables. “And you know he wasn’t. You would have heard that.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked, but ignored her statement. “Honestly, I’ve seen corpses with better colour. I was concerned that I might have to avenge your murder.”</p><p> </p><p>“Poor Mike, I’ll bet he’s mad.”</p><p> </p><p>“He absolutely loathes me.” Edward said cheerfully.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me.” The nurse came back in at that moment and put a cold compress on Bella’s forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“Here you go, dear.” She said. “You’re looking better already.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’m fine.” Bella said, sitting up a little. The ringing in her ears was gone, no spinning. The mint green walls stayed where they should. Bella could see she was about to make her lie back down, but the door opened, and Ms Cope stuck her head in.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve got another one,” She warned.</p><p> </p><p>Bella hopped down to free up the bed for the next invalid. She handed the compress back to the nurse. “Here, I don’t need this.” And the Mike staggered in through the door, now supporting a sallow-looking Lee Stephens, another boy from Biology class. Edward and Bella drew back against the all to give them room.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no,” Edward muttered. “Go out of the office, Bella, and into the main admin room. Trust me, go.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella spun and caught the door before it closed, darting out of the infirmary. Bella could feel Edward right behind her.</p><p> </p><p>“You actually listened to me.” He was stunned.</p><p> </p><p>“I smelled the blood,” Bella said, wrinkling her nose. Lee was sick from watching other people, not the smell, like she was.</p><p> </p><p>“People can’t smell blood,” He contradicted.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I can. That’s what makes me sick. It smells like rust … and salt.” He was staring at her with an unfathomable expression. “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s nothing.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but Mike came through the door. The look he gave Edward confirmed what Edward had said about loathing. Mike looked back at her; his eyes glum.</p><p> </p><p>“You look better,” he accused.</p><p> </p><p>“Just keep your hand in your pocket.” Bella warned him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not bleeding anymore,” he protested. “are you going back to class?”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you kidding? I’d just have to turn around and come back.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I guess. So, are you going this weekend? To the beach?” While he spoke, he flashed another glare towards Edward.</p><p> </p><p>Bella tried to sound as friendly as possible. “Sure, I said I was in.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re meeting at my dad’s store, at ten.” His eyes flickered to Edward again, wondering if he was giving out too much information. His body language made it clear that it wasn’t an open invitation.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be there.” Bella promised.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll see you in Gym then.” He said, moving uncertainly away.</p><p> </p><p>“See you,” Bella replied. He looked at her once more, his round face slightly pouting.</p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, Gym.” Bella groaned once Mike was gone.</p><p> </p><p>“I can take care of that. Go sit down and look pale.” Edward said. It was quite easy for Bella to do since she was still feeling a little nauseous. Bella heard Edward at the counter.</p><p> </p><p>“Ms Cope?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?”</p><p> </p><p>“Bella has Gym next hour, and I don’t think she feels well enough. Actually, I was thinking I should take her home now. Do you think you could excuse her from class?” His voice was like melting honey. Bella could imagine how much more overwhelming his eyes would be.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you need to be excused too Edward?” Ms Cope fluttered.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I have Mrs Goff. She won’t mind.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, it’s all taken care of. You feel better, Bella.” She called to her. Bella nodded weakly, hamming it up just a bit.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stood carefully and followed Edward to the carpark.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks,” Bella said as they walked.</p><p> </p><p>“Anytime.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward led Bella to his car. “I’ll take you home. Give me your keys, and I’ll have Alice drop your car back.</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked unsure. “I don’t want to put her out.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled, almost indulgently. “She’ll be happy to do it.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella pulled out her keys and handed them to Edward. “Okay, if it’s not too much trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>They both slid into the car, Edward fiddled with the controls, turning the heater up and the music down. As he pulled out of the car park, Bella recognised the music playing.</p><p> </p><p>“Clair de Lune?” Bella asked softly.</p><p> </p><p>“You know Debussy?” He sounded surprised.</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded. “Yeah Herm- I mean, my friend used to listen to it all the time while she studied. It’s beautiful. I was always more partial to Tchaikovsky, but this is one of my favourites.”</p><p> </p><p>“Its one of my favourites too.” He stated out through the rain, lost in thought. “what was that, that I saw, in your mind? It … it looked like a horror film.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed deeply. “It was just one of my nightmares, Edward.”</p><p> </p><p>“It felt like a memory, Bella. I know the difference.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Bella said, staring out the window as the trees zipped by them.</p><p> </p><p>“Why aren’t you freaking out that I can read minds?” Edward asked, his tone anxious.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve been feeling you probe my mind for months now. I don’t think you have much control over it.” Bella said gently, not really paying attention.</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “How do you feel that? I don’t understand how you know about any of this.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella yawned. “I’m not really ready to talk about it with you yet. It’s not that I don’t trust you, or anything. It’s just a really long, emotional story that I don’t really think you’d believe.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward was silent. They were already at Bella’s house.</p><p> </p><p>“What was your mother like?” Edward asked her suddenly.</p><p> </p><p>“My mother was very beautiful, much prettier than me. I’ve got too much of my dad in me. Fiery red hair, with a temper to match. Green eyes, the same shade as mine. Probably as pale as you are. And she was kind, so, so kind. Much braver than me too, everything she sacrificed for me.” Bella said wistfully, looking out the window, her eyes welling up with tears.</p><p> </p><p>“How old are you, Bella?” His voice sounded frustrated.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled wryly. “I’m seventeen. And you?”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t seem seventeen.” He replied, ignoring my question. His tone was reproachful; it made Bella laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“My friends always say I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year.” Bella laughed again, and then sighed. “Well, someone has to be the adult.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward stared at her. “Your parents have been gone a lot longer than you’ve made everyone think.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled wryly at him. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still in mourning.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, that vision… You lost people close to you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” Bella said finally. She quickly left the car. Edward noted in the reflection of the windows, that tears were rolling down her cheeks.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Let's Go to the Beach, Each, Let's Go Get A Wave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5</p><p> </p><p>Bella wasn’t looking forward to Friday and it more than lived up to her non-expectations. Of course, there were the fainting comments. Jessica especially seemed to get a kick out of that story. Luckily Mike had kept his mouth shut, and no one seemed to know about Edward’s involvement. She did have a lot of questions about lunch, though.</p><p> </p><p>“So what did Edward Cullen want yesterday?” Jessica asked in Trig.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know,” Bella answered truthfully. “He never really got to the point.”</p><p> </p><p>“You looked kind of mad.” She fished.</p><p> </p><p>“Did I?” Bella kept her expression blank.</p><p> </p><p>“You know, I’ve never seen him sit with anyone but his family before. That was weird.”</p><p> </p><p>“Weird.” Bella agreed. Jessica seemed annoyed; she flipped her dark curls impatiently. Bella guessed she’d been hoping to hear something that would make a good story to pass on. Even though Bella knew Jessica didn’t really care that much about her, Bella still thought of her fondly, reminding her once again of her late friend and roommate of six years, Lavender Brown.</p><p> </p><p>Edward wasn’t at school and neither was Emmett. Bella supposed that they were out hunting. Edward’s eyes were looking on the black side. Bella had noticed that after he’d hunted, his eyes were gold, but when he hadn’t fed, they slowly turned black. That all but confirmed his vampire species, but Bella still wanted more definite confirmation.</p><p> </p><p>Bella intercepted a few unfriendly glances from Lauren during lunch, which she didn’t understand until they were all walking out of the room together. Bella was right behind her, just a foot from her slick, sliver blonde hair, and she was evidently unaware of that.</p><p> </p><p>“… don’t know why Bella” she sneered her name, “doesn’t just sit with the Cullens’ from now on.” Bella heard her muttering to Mike. Bella had never noticed what an unpleasant, nasal voice she had, and Bella was surprised by thee malice in it. Bella didn’t know her well at all, ‘certainly not well enough for her to dislike me’, or so Bella had thought.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s my friend; she sits with us,” Mike whispered back loyally, but also a bit territorially. Bella paused to let Jess and Angela pass her, Bella didn’t want to hear any more.</p><p> </p><p>That night at dinner, Charlie seemed enthusiastic about Bella’s trip to La Push in the morning. Bella thought that he might feel guilty for leaving her home alone on the weekends, but he’d spent too many years building his habits to break them now. Of course, he knew the names of all the kids going, and their parents, and their grandparents too, probably. He seemed to approve. Bella wondered if he would approve of her plan to ride to Seattle with Edward Cullen, not that she was going to tell him.</p><p> </p><p>Bella meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke her up. She opened her eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through her window. She couldn’t believe it. She hurried to the window to check, and sure enough, there was the sun. It was in the wrong place in the sky, too low, and it didn’t seem as close as it should be, but it was definitely the sun. Clouds ringed the horizon, but a large patch of blue was visible in the middle. Bella lingered by the window as long as she could, afraid that if she left, the blue would disappear again. Bella hadn’t realised how much she had missed the sun. Normally, she didn’t really care, having spent the majority of her life in Britain and Scotland; but right now, she wanted to bathe in the light.</p><p> </p><p>The Newtons’ Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town. Bella had seen the store before, but she’d never stopped there, not really having a reason to get any supplies required for being outdoors for an extended period of time. In the car park, Bella recognised Mike’s Suburban and Tyler’s Sentra. As she pulled up next to their vehicles, Bella could see the group standing around in front of the Suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys she had class with; Bella was fairly sure their names were Ben and Connor. Jess was there, flanked by Angela and Lauren. Three other girls stood with them, including one Bella remembered outplaying in Gym on Friday. That one gave her a dirty look as Bella got out of her truck and whispered to Lauren. Lauren shook out her corn silk hair and eyed Bella scornfully. So, it was going to be one of those days, was it.</p><p> </p><p>At least Mike was happy to see Bella.</p><p> </p><p>“You came!” He called, delighted. “And I said it would be sunny today, didn’t I?”<br/><br/></p><p>“I told you I was coming.” Bella reminded him.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re just waiting for Lee and Samantha … unless you invited someone.” Mike added.</p><p> </p><p>“Nope,” Bella said cheerfully. Mike looked satisfied.</p><p> </p><p>“Will you ride in my car? It’s that or Lee’s mum’s minivan.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled blissfully. It was so easy to make Mike happy. “You can have shotgun.” He promised. Bella hid her chagrin. It wasn’t as simple to make Mike and Jessica happy at the same time. Bella could see Jessica glowering at them now.</p><p> </p><p>The numbers worked out in Bella’s favour, though. Lee brought two extra people, and suddenly, every seat was necessary. Bella managed to wedge Jess in between Mike and herself in the front seat of the Suburban. Mike could have been a little more graceful about it, but at least Jess seemed more appeased.</p><p> </p><p>It was only fifteen miles to La Push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quillayute River snaking beneath it twice. Bella was glad she had the window seat. They rolled the windows down, the Suburban was a bit claustrophobic with nine people in it, and Bella tried to absorb as much sunlight as possible. Bella had been to the beaches around La Push before when she had first moved in with Charlie many months ago, so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to her. It was still breathtaking. The water was dark grey, even in the sunlight, white capped and heaving to the grey, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbour waters with sheet cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs. The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water’s edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly grey from a distance, but close up, were every shade a stone could be: terracotta, sea green, lavender, blue grey and dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solidary, just out of reach of the waves.</p><p> </p><p>There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now, the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky. The group picked their way down to the beach, Mike leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy I thought was named Ben, gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a tepee shaped construction built atop the old cinders.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?” Mike asked Bella. She was sitting on one of the bone-coloured benches; the other girls, clustered, gossiping excitedly, on either side of her. Mike kneeled by the fire pit, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella replied as he placed the blazing twig carefully against the tepee.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll like this then, watch the colours.” He lit another small branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood.</p><p> </p><p>“it’s blue,” Bella said, awe colouring her tone.</p><p> </p><p>“The salt does it. Pretty, isn’t it?” He lit one more piece, placed it where the fire hadn’t caught, and came to sit by Bella. Thankfully, Jess was on his other side. She turned to him and claimed his attention. Bella watched the strange blue and green flames crackle towards the sky. After about a half hour of chatter, some of the boys wanted to hike to the nearby tidal pools. It was a dilemma. One the one hand, Bella loved tide pools. They’d fascinated her since she was a child. One the other hand, Bella had always managed to fall in them. A lot. Not a big deal when you’re a young kid, but here, it would have been extremely embarrassing.</p><p> </p><p>Lauren was the one who made the decision for Bella. She didn’t want to hike, and she was definitely wearing the wrong shoes for it. Most of the other girls besides Angela and Jessica decided to stay on the beach as well. Bella waited until Tyler and Eric had committed to remaining with them before Bella got up quietly to join the pro-hiking group. Mike gave Bella a huge smile when he saw that she was coming.</p><p> </p><p>The hike wasn’t too long, though Bella hated to lose the sky in the woods. The green light of the forest was strangely at odds with the adolescent laughter, too murky and ominous to be in harmony with the light banter around her. It reminded her of a less dangerous Forbidden Forest almost. Eventually, the group broke through the emerald confines of the forest and found the rocky shore again. It was low tide, and a tidal river flowed past the group on its way to the sea. Along its pebbled banks, shallow pools that never completely drained were teeming with life.</p><p> </p><p>Bella, like the others in the group, was fearless, leaping over the rocks, perching precariously on the edges. Bella found one of the more stable rocks on the edge of one of the largest pools and sat there, spellbound by the natural aquarium below her. The bouquets of brilliant anemones undulated ceaselessly in the invisible current, twisted shells scurried about the edges, obscuring the crabs within them, starfish stuck motionless to the rocks and each other, while one small black eel with white racing stripes wove through the bright green weeds, waiting for the sea to return. Bella was completely absorbed by the beauty of it.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, the boys were hungry, so Bella got back up stiffly to follow them back. When they got back to First Beach, the group they’d left had multiplied. As Bella got closer, she could see the shining black hair and copper skin of the newcomers, teenagers from the reservation, come to socialise. Bella felt less like a sore thumb amongst these teens, as her browner coloured skin always made her stand out against the white skin of the teens of Forks High School.</p><p> </p><p>Food was already being passed around, and the boys hurried to claim a share, while Eric introduced each person as they entered the driftwood circle. Angela and Bella were the last to arrive, and, as Eric said their names, Bella noticed a younger boy sitting on the stones near the fire glance up at her in interest. Bella sat down next to Angela and Mike brought them sandwiches and an array of sodas to choose from, while a boy who looked to be the oldest of the visitors rattled off the names of the seven other with him. All Bella caught was that one of the girls was also named Jessica and the boy who noticed Bella was named Jacob.</p><p> </p><p>It was relaxing to sit with Angela; she was a restful kind of person to be around, she didn’t feel the need to fill every silence with chatter. She left Bella free to think undisturbed while they ate. And Bella was thinking about how disjointedly time seemed to flow in Forks, passing in a blur at times, with single images standing out more clearly than others. And then, at other times, every second was significant, etched in Bella’s mind. Bella knew exactly what caused the difference, and it disturbed her. Edward.</p><p> </p><p>During lunch, the clouds started to advance, slinking across the sky, darting in front of the sun momentarily, casting long shadows across the beach, blackening the waves. As they finished eating, people started to drift away in twos and threes. Some walked down to the edge of the waves, trying to skip rocks across the choppy surface. Others were gathering a second expedition to the tide pools. Mike, with Jessica shadowing him, headed up to the one shop in the village. Some of the local kids went with them; others went along on the hike. But the time they had all scattered, Bella was sitting alone on her driftwood log, with Lauren and Tyler occupying themselves by the CD player someone had thought to bring, and three teenagers from the reservation perched around the circle, including the boy named Jacob and the oldest boy, who had acted as spokesperson.</p><p> </p><p>A few minutes after Angela left with the hikers, Jacob sauntered over to take her place by Bella’s side. He looked fourteen, maybe fifteen (much too young), and had long, glossy black hair, pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet coloured; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face. However, Bella’s positive opinion of his looks were damaged by the first words out of his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re Isabella Swan, aren’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>It was like the first day of school all over again.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” Bella sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Jacob Black.” He held his hand out in a friendly gesture. “You bought my dad’s truck.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Bella said, relieved, shaking his sleek hand. “You’re Billy’s son.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Nice to meet you, though. My sisters will be sad they didn’t get to meet you.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’re not here?” Bella examined the girls at the ocean’s edge.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Jacob said, shaking his head. “Rachel got a scholarship to Washington State, and Rebecca married a Samoan surfer. She lives in Hawaii now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Married. Wow.” Bella was stunned. The twins were the same as Bella’s real age.</p><p> </p><p>“So how do you like the truck?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I love it. It runs great.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, but it’s really slow,” he laughed. “I was so relieved when Charlie bought it. My dad wouldn’t let me work on building another car when we had a perfectly good vehicle right there.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not that slow.” Bella objected. But she knew she was lying. Bella missed her Firebolt.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you tried going over 100kpm?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“Good. Don’t.” He grinned.</p><p> </p><p>Bella couldn’t help but grin back. “It does great in a collision.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think a tank could take out that old monster.” He agreed with another laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“So you build cars?” Bella asked, impressed.</p><p> </p><p>“When I have the free time, and parts. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could get my hands on a master cylinder for a 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit?” He added jokingly. He had a pleasant, husky voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry,” Bella laughed. “I haven’t seen any lately, but I’ll keep my eyes open for you.” He was very easy to talk to. He flashed a brilliant smile, looking at her appreciatively in a way Bella was learning to recognise. Bella wasn’t the only one who noticed.</p><p> </p><p>“You know Bella, Jacob?” Lauren asked, in what Bella imagined was an insolent tone, from across the fire.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve sort of known each other for a while.” He said, a white lie, smiling at Bella again. She smiled back, backing up his lie. Jacob knew from past experience, that Lauren was a bitch.</p><p> </p><p>“How nice.” She didn’t sound like she thought it was nice at all, and her pale, fishy eyes narrowed.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella,” She called again, watching her face carefully. “I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn’t anyone think to invited them?” Her expression of concern was unconvincing.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you mean Dr Carlisle Cullen’s family?” the tall, older boy asked before Bella could respond, much to Lauren’s irritation. He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, do you know them?” she asked condescendingly, turning halfway towards him.</p><p> </p><p>“The Cullens don’t come here.” He said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question.</p><p> </p><p>Tyler, trying to win back her attention, asked Lauren’s opinion on a CD he held. She was distracted.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stared at the deep-voiced boy, taken aback, but he was looking away toward the dark forest behind us. He’s said that the Cullens’ didn’t come here, but his tone had implied something more, that they weren’t allowed; they were prohibited. His manner left a strange impression on Bella, which she could not ignore. Bella knew these lands had deeply entrenched magic, from back before white man invaded. She could feel it even now, in every pebble and stone, in every grain of sand and particle of water. Perhaps it had something to do with that?</p><p> </p><p>A thought struck Bella. Hopefully, Jacob was yet inexperienced around girls, so he wouldn’t see through her sure to be pitiful attempts at flirting.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to walk down the beach with me?” Bella asked Jacob, trying to imitate the way Edward had of looking up from underneath his eyelashes. It couldn’t have had nearly the same effect, Bella was sure, but Jacob jumped up willingly enough.</p><p> </p><p>As they walked north across the multihued stones toward the driftwood seawall, the clouds finally closed ranks across the sky, causing the sea to darken even further and the temperature to drop. Bella closed her eyes and cast a warming charm on herself and a very light one on Jacob, so he wouldn’t get too cold either.</p><p> </p><p>“So you’re what, sixteen?” Bella asked, trying not to look like an idiot as she fluttered her eyelids in the way she’d seen girls do on tv.</p><p> </p><p>“I just turned fifteen.” He confessed, flattered.</p><p> </p><p>“Really?” Bella’s face was full of false surprise. “I would have thought you were older.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m tall for my age.” He explained.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you come up to Forks much?” Bella asked archly, as if she was hoping for a yes. Bella sounded idiotic to herself. She was afraid he would turn on her with disgust and accuse her of being a fraud, but he still seemed flattered. Perhaps she wasn’t as out of practice as she thought.</p><p> </p><p>“No, not too much,” he admitted with a frown. “But when I get my car finished, I can go up as much as I want, after I get my license.” He amended.</p><p> </p><p>“Who was that other boy Lauren was talking to? He seemed a little old to be hanging out with us.” Bella purposefully lumped herself in with the youngsters, trying to make it clear that she preferred Jacob. She could have used Legilimens on him, but it felt wrong, like she was breaking his trust even more than she was now.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s Sam, he’s nineteen.” He informed me.</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded slowly. “I thought it was kind of odd, what he said, about the Doctor’s family. That they don’t come to La Push, that is.” Bella said innocently.</p><p> </p><p>“The Cullens’? Oh, they’re not supposed to come onto the reservation.” He looked away, out toward James Island, as he confirmed what Bella had thought she’d heard in Sam’s voice.</p><p> </p><p> Bella frowned, looking at Jacob curiously. “But why, though?”</p><p> </p><p>He glance back at Bella, biting his lip. “Er, I’m not really supposed to say anything about that.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “Oh, I won’t tell anyone, I’m just curious.” Bella tried to make her smile alluring, wondering if she was laying it on too thick.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled back though, looking allured. The he lifted one eyebrow and his voice was even huskier than before. “Do you like scary stories?” He asked ominously.</p><p> </p><p>“I love them,” Bella enthused, making an effort to smoulder at him. Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out like the attenuated legs of a huge, pale spider. Bella held back a shiver at the unconscious reminder of Aragog. He perched lightly on one of the twisted roots while Bella sat beneath him on the body of the tree. He stared down at the rocks, a smile hovering the edges of his broad lips. Bella could see he was trying to make this good. Bella focused on keeping the vital interest she felt, out of her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know about any of our old stories, about where we came from, the Quileutes, I mean?” He began.</p><p> </p><p>“Not really,” Bella admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood. Supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on mountains to survive like Noah and the ark.” He smiled, to show Bella how little stock he put in the histories. “Another legend claims that we descended from wolves, and that wolves are our brothers still. It’s against tribal law to kill them. Then there are stories about the Cold Ones.” His voice dropped a little lower.</p><p> </p><p>“The Cold Ones?” Bella asked, not faking her intrigue now.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, there are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land.” He rolled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Your great-grandfather?” Bella encouraged.</p><p> </p><p>“He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the Cold Ones are natural enemies of the wolf, well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that can turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves.”</p><p> </p><p>“Werewolves have enemies?”</p><p> </p><p>“Only one.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella stared at him earnestly, hoping to disguise her impatience as admiration.</p><p> </p><p>“So you see,” Jacob continued, “the Cold Ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack that came to our territory during my great-grandfather’s time, was different. They didn’t hunt the way the other of their kind did. They weren’t supposed to be dangerous to the tribe, so my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they promised to stay off out lands, we wouldn’t expose them to the pale faces, the white man.” He winked at Bella, as she was clearly a half white girl.</p><p> </p><p>“If they weren’t dangerous, then why…?” Bella tried to understand, struggling to not let him see how seriously she was considering his ghost story.</p><p> </p><p>“There is always a risk for humans to be around the Cold Ones, even if they’re civilised like this clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist.” He deliberately worked a thick edge of menace into his tone.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean, ‘civilised’?”</p><p> </p><p>“They claimed that they didn’t hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella tried to keep her voice casual, already knowing the answer to her own question, somewhat. “So how does it fit in with the Cullens’? Are they like the Cold Ones your great-grandfather met?”<br/><br/></p><p>“No,” he paused dramatically. “They are the same ones.” He must have thought the expression on Bella’s face was fear inspired by his story. He smiled, pleased, and continued.</p><p> </p><p>“There are more of them now, a new female and a new male, but the rest of them are the same. In my great-grandfather’s time, they already knew of the leader, Carlisle. He’d been here and gone before your people had even arrived.” He was fighting a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“What are they?” Bella finally asked. “What are the Cold Ones?” He smiled darkly.</p><p> </p><p>“Blood drinkers,” he replied in a chilling voice. “Your people call them vampires.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella stared out at the rough surf after he answered, not sure what her face was exposing.</p><p> </p><p>“You have goose bumps!” He laughed delightedly.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a really good storyteller, Jake,” Bella complimented him, looking back at his face. Bella could see him blush at her calling him by his nickname.</p><p> </p><p>“Pretty crazy stuff, though, isn’t it? No wonder my dad doesn’t want us to talk about it to anyone.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t give you away.”</p><p> </p><p>Jacob joined in with her laughter. “I guess I just violated the treaty.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll take it to my grave,” Bella promised and then shivered, which added to the dramatic affect.</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously though, don’t say anything to Charlie. He was pretty mad at my dad when he heard that some of us weren’t going to the hospital since Dr Cullen started working there.”</p><p> </p><p>“I won’t, of course not.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, do you think we’re a bunch of superstitious natives or what?” He asked in a playful tone, but with a hint of worry.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled at him warmly. “No. Being part Indian, like from India, my culture has stories like that. I do think you’re very good at telling scary stories though. I still have goose bumps, see?” Bella held up her arm.</p><p> </p><p>“Cool.” He smiled.</p><p> </p><p>And then the sound of beach rocks clattering against each other warned them that someone was approaching. Bella and Jacob’s heads snapped up at the same time to see Mike and Jessica about fifty yards away, walking towards them.</p><p> </p><p>“There you are Bella,” Mike called in relief, waving his arm over his head.</p><p> </p><p>“Is that your boyfriend?” Jacob asked, alerted by the jealous edge in Mike’s voice. Bella was surprised it was so obvious.</p><p> </p><p>“No, definitely not,” Bella whispered. Bella was tremendously grateful to Jacob, and eager to make him as happy as possible. Bella winked at him, carefully turning away from Mike to do so. He smiled, elated by her inept flirting.</p><p> </p><p>“So when I get my license…” he began.</p><p> </p><p>“You should come see me in Forks. We could hang out sometime.” Bella felt guilty as she said this, knowing that she’d used him. She really did like Jacob. He was someone she could easily be friends with. Though, she was glad she did it this way than just plucking the information out of his head. That felt more like an invasion of privacy than flirting for some information.</p><p> </p><p>Mike reached the pair now, with Jessica still a few paces behind. Bella could see his eyes appraising Jacob and looking satisfied at his obvious youth.</p><p> </p><p>“Where have you been?” he asked, though the answer was right in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Jacob was just telling me some local stories,” Bella volunteered. “it was really interesting.” Bella smiled warmly at Jacob and he grinned back.</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Mike paused, carefully reassessing the situation as he watched their camaraderie. “We’re packing up, it looks like it’s going to rain soon.”</p><p> </p><p>They all looked up at the glowering sky. It certainly did look like rain.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Bella jumped up. “I’m coming.”</p><p> </p><p>“It was nice to see you again.” Jacob said, and Bella could tell he was taunting Mike just a bit, which Bella found quite amusing.</p><p> </p><p>“It really was. Next time Charlie comes down to see Billy, I’ll come too.” Bella promised, letting the dig hit Mike like a sharp slap to the face. Hopefully, he’d catch wise that Bella wasn’t very interested him.</p><p> </p><p>His grin stretched across his face. “That would be cool.”</p><p> </p><p>“And thanks.” Bella added earnestly.</p><p> </p><p>Bella pulled up her hood as they tramped across the rocks towards the carpark. A few drops were beginning to fall, making black spot on the stones where they landed. When we got back to the Suburban, the other were already loading everything back in. Bella crawled into the backseat by Angela and Tyler, announcing that she’d already had her turn at shotgun. Angela just stared out the window at the escalating storm and Lauren twisted around in the middle seat to occupy Tyler’s attention, so Bella could simply lay her head back on the seat, closer her eyes and try very hard not to think.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Stephanie Meyer is Down With Attempted Rape, Apparently</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 6</p><p> </p><p>So, Edward and his family were vampires. Bella had already thought so, but it was nice that the local folklore backed it up. Edward also could clearly read minds, which mean Gifted vampires were real also. That narrowed it down to only one species of vampire. It was a rarer breed, but was much more civilised, called Inmortuae Futuri Saeculi, or “Undead Eternal”. They were the kind of vampire that were near invulnerable. Much faster and stronger than regular Dracula type vampires and also inhumanly beautiful. Apparently, they sparkled in sunlight, which was why they stayed indoors or out of human sight on sunny days. Explains those ‘family camping trips’ the Cullens’ went on every time the weather was nice in Forks. There were rumours of a vampire ruling house called the Volturi, located in Italy, a place called Volterra. They kept the vampires of the world in line, at least, this species of vampire. This breed of vampire could only be killed by each other or by extremely powerful wix who could control Fiendfyre; Bella thought an extremely powerful Bombada could probably do the job too. Luckily for Bella, she could, but she actually needed her wand to preform either spell.</p><p> </p><p>When she awoke Sunday morning, Bella wondered, now that she knew for sure what the Cullens’ were, should she ask Edward to leave her alone? She’d solved the mystery and it felt like if her new life were a novel, she’d only be a few chapters in. It was over so quickly, unlike the rest of the mysteries that had occurred in her life. Bella’s heart panged at the thought of not being friends with Edward. Bella was going to live for eternity, so having someone to spend that with, who would also not grow old and die, was very appealing to her.</p><p> </p><p>Bella spent the day being productive. Despite it being Sunday, she felt that she should do something instead of just lazing about. She finished her essay before eight, she did all the chores, including laundry and general household cleaning. She made a mental note to pick up a recipe book with different ways to prepare fish in Seattle the next week, with how much Charlie caught. The chills that flashed up her spine whenever she thought about the trip were no different from before she’d figured out for sure that the Cullens’ were vampires. Should she be afraid? Bella shrugged. She was the Master of Death. It was not something she feared, for if she died, she would not stay dead. A fun quirk of her immortality.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, a school day, Bella woke to sunlight beaming down onto her face. It made Bella’s mood brighten. She skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white puffs that couldn’t possibly be carrying any rain. Bella opened the window, surprised that it opened silently, without sticking, and sucked in the relatively dry air. It was nearly warm and hardly windy at all.</p><p> </p><p>After hurrying through her morning routine, Bella was out the door with quick goodbye to Charlie, who was grinning at her, and got in her truck, prepared to drive to school.</p><p> </p><p>Bella didn’t realise the time, in her eagerness to get outside, and the school grounds were deserted. She got out of her car and sat down on one of the picnic tables near the cafeteria and pulled out a book to read while she enjoyed the sunshine. Bella didn’t even notice the time passing.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella!” She heard someone call, and it sounded like Mike. Bella looked around to realise that the school had become populated while she’d been sitting there, absentmindedly reading. Everyone was in t-shirts, some even in shorts, though the temperature couldn’t have been over 17°C. Mike was coming towards Bella in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Mike,” Bella called cheerfully in reply.</p><p> </p><p>He came to sit by her, his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted to see her. It was almost unnerving.</p><p> </p><p>“I never noticed before, but your hair has red in it.” He commented, catching a strand of her hair between his fingers. It was a stray hair that had escaped the bobby pins.</p><p> </p><p>“Only in the sun.” Bella replied. She grew a little uncomfortable as he tucked the hair behind her ear.</p><p> </p><p>“Great day, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“My kind of day,” Bella agreed, thinking about Quidditch. Fuck she missed flying.</p><p> </p><p>“What did you do yesterday?” His tone was just a bit too propriety.</p><p> </p><p>“I mostly worked on my essay. I’m pretty much done with it though.” Bella said with an easy-going smile.</p><p> </p><p>He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. “Oh yeah, that’s due Thursday, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um, Wednesday, I think.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wednesday?” he frowned. “That’s not good. What are you writing yours on?”</p><p> </p><p>“Whether Shakespeare’s treatment of female characters is misogynistic.”</p><p> </p><p>He stared at Bella like she’d spoken in a foreign language. “I guess I’ll have to get to work on that tonight,” He said, deflated. “I was going to ask if you wanted to go out.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Bella was caught off guard. Why couldn’t she ever have a pleasant conversation with Mike anymore without it getting awkward?</p><p> </p><p>“Well, we could go to dinner or something … and I could work on it later.” He smiled at her hopefully.</p><p> </p><p>"Mike…” Bella hated being put on the spot. “I don’t think that would be the best idea.”</p><p> </p><p>His face fell. “Why?” he asked, his eyes guarded. Bella’s thoughts flickered to Edward, wondering if that’s where his thoughts were as well.</p><p> </p><p>“I think … and if you ever repeat what I’m saying right now, I will cheerfully beat you to death,” Bella threatened, “but I think that would hurt Jessica’s feelings.”</p><p> </p><p>He was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that direction at all.</p><p> </p><p>“Jessica?”</p><p> </p><p>“Really, Mike, are you blind?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” he exhaled, clearly dazed. Bella took advantage of that to make her escape.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s time for class and I can’t be late again.” She gathered her belongings and stuffed them into her bag. They walked in silence to building three, and his expression was distracted. Bella hoped whatever thoughts he was immersed in were leading him in the right direction.</p><p> </p><p>When Bella saw Jessica later in Trig, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. She, Angela and Lauren were going to Port Angeles tonight to go dress shopping for the dance and she wanted Bella to come too, even though Bella didn’t need a dress.</p><p> </p><p>It would be nice to get out of town and spend time with some girlfriends, but Lauren would be there. Bella tentatively said yes, but that’s she’d have to ask Charlie for sure first. Jessica talked nothing but the dance on the way to Spanish, continuing as if without an interruption when class finally ended.</p><p> </p><p>Bella wasn’t surprised not to see the Cullens’ at lunch. Disappointed, sure. She liked when she had lunch with Edward, enjoyed the looks on her ‘friends’ faces maybe just a little, but to be at school would mean being in sunlight. They might have just screamed from the rooftops that they were vampires. Not being at school obviously kept their secret. Bella wondered if that was something that the Volturi enforced and if there was punishment for showing a human what they really were, and then not killing said human. Well, Bella had as much of a secret as the vampires did. She was technically a magical creature too, so she doubted such a law, if it existed, extended to her.</p><p> </p><p>Angela sat down beside Bella, who asked a few questions about the Macbeth paper, which Bella answered easily. Angela also invited Bella dress shopping that night, and Bella gave her the same answer she’d given Jessica.  </p><p> </p><p>Biology was kind of boring, as per usual, and especially since Edward wasn’t there. Badminton in Gym was pretty fun. It reminded Bella of the few times she’d played Beater in Quidditch. Once again, Bella slightly regretted joining the Muggle community, as it kept her away from her favourite pastime.</p><p> </p><p>Once Bella got home, right after she’d got through the door, Jessica had called to cancel that night’s plans. Bella tried to be happy that Mike had asked her out to dinner, Bella was really relieved that he finally seemed to be catching on, but her enthusiasm sounded false in her own ears. She rescheduled the shopping trip for the next night.</p><p> </p><p>After starting a fish marinade, Bella went upstairs to write letters to send to her friends back in Britain. They were short, little notes, more like updates than really telling anyone what she was doing. Too much information, people might actually go looking. Once that was done, Bella summoned an owl, one that was bound to her, but definitely wasn’t a pet, and sent the letters off. The owl wasn’t a real owl, but an image that Bella had conjured, and gave it temporary form. Once it had delivered all the letters, it would cease to exist until Bella had need of it again. Another perk of being the Master of Death. Ghost owls.</p><p> </p><p>With the last few hours of sunlight to soak up, Bella took a collection of classical works outside, with a picnic blanket, and laid down to read. As she was reading, she felt as if someone was watching. She closed her eyes and searched with her feelings. Surely enough, there was Edward, perched in a tree not far from her. Just watching. He seemed to almost be patrolling, acting as a bodyguard for some unknown reason. Bella mentally shrugged and decided to ignore him. Bella pulled her wild black hair out of her severe bun (a hairstyle she’d learned from McGonagall) and the bobby pins, letting it hang in it’s wild gloriousness. It felt like a lion’s mane, befitting the Gryffindor. It gave Bella a wild look, like a hunter or a creature of the forest.</p><p> </p><p>Laying on her stomach, crossing her ankles in the air, tried to pick a book that would occupy her mind the most thoroughly. Her favourites by Austen were Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Bella had read the first more recently, so she started into Sense and Sensibility only to remember three pages in that the hero of the story happened to be named Edward. Angrily, Bella turned to Mansfield Park, but the hero of that piece was named Edmund, and that was just too close. Weren’t there any other names available in the late eighteenth century? Bella snapped the book shut and rolled onto her back. She pushed her sleeves up as high as they would go and closed her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>‘I will think of nothing but the warmth on my skin,’ Bella thought to herself. The breeze was still light, but a gust of it blew through Bella’s bangs. She reached up and traced it the lightning bolt, deeply in thought. Her memories, how long this scar had been with her, how it had been such a huge part of her identity, now rendered useless and unsightly. She flicked her hair out, fanning it around herself and focused on the heat that touched her eyelids, her cheekbones, her nose, her lips, her forearms, her neck, soaked through her light shirt.</p><p> </p><p>Edward gasped from his perch, awed by her beauty. He’d never really seen her with her hair down. Her facial features, bright green eyes, tanned skin and mane of black hair really made her look like a wild woman from the forest. He noticed, for the first time since Bella never rolled up her sleeves, faint scars littering them. Hundreds of them. They weren’t self-harm scars, but they didn’t look like they were inflicted by accident, either. Bella wasn’t clumsy at all, so these scars couldn’t have come from accidents that she herself caused. It made the mystery of Bella Swan grow more intently. She had more scars than a girl her age should have. The wind blew, making Bella’s bangs fly up, revealing yet another scar, this one on her forehead. It looked like a lightning bolt. He watched as Bella traced the shape, her face pinched, almost as if distressed by it. She dropped the arm and seemed to be meditating. It wasn’t long until she fell asleep. Edward’s eyes caught on something, a scar. But unlike the other scars that appeared to litter her body, these ones…these ones spelled out <em>words</em>. Horrified, Edward attempted to make out what they said. The word <em>blood-traitor</em> seemed to have been <em>carved </em>into her forearm and on the back of her left hand, in Bella’s handwriting, the phrase <em>I must not tell lies </em>was carved in there too. Had she done that herself? How could the words be so perfectly shaped, as if she had been writing on paper, and not into her hand? Skin didn’t behave in that way. It didn’t make sense. Bella didn’t strike Edward as a person who would cut herself.</p><p> </p><p>Edward jumped down and moved closer to her, listening out for anyone around, hearing no one approaching. He crept out into the sunlight. He avoided looking at himself through the sun’s glare. It was bad enough that his skin was stone and inhuman in shadow; he didn’t want to look at Bella and himself side by side in the sunlight. The difference between them was already insurmountable, painful enough without this image also in his head. But he couldn’t ignore the rainbow sparkles that reflected onto her skin when he got closer, his jaw locked at the sight.</p><p> </p><p>‘Could I be more of a freak?’ He thought. He imagined Bella’s terror if she opened her eyes now. Edward started to retreat but Bella mumbled in her sleep, holding him there.</p><p> </p><p>“Mmm … Mmm.”</p><p> </p><p>Nothing intelligible. Well, he could wait for a bit.</p><p> </p><p>Edward stole one of her books carefully, stretching his arm out and holding his breath while he was so close, just in case. He had noticed from the tree that her scent was so much stronger than it was at school, when he was in much closer proximity. Bella seemed to be able to mask her scent, usually, so why could he smell it so strongly now? Because she’s asleep? And her mind, an impenetrable wall. He looked at her, soft skin, deep breathing, heartbeat. She seemed human enough, but what else was she? She clearly wasn’t an ordinary. No regular human had such abilities. Edward’s mind rushed over different possibilities, all as unlikely as the next.</p><p> </p><p>“Edward,” Bella spoke in her sleep, making him freeze. “I know what you are.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked, shocked. “What am I Bella?” He whispered softly, hoping that she would reply.</p><p> </p><p>She was silent for a few more moments, Edward didn’t think she’d understood him, being asleep. He was about to leave when one word escaped her lips, “Vampire.”</p><p> </p><p>The rest afternoon passed, Edward watched her, feeling helpless. He didn’t want to wake her, but he wanted to know, to find out what she knew. But her mind was still closed to him. He couldn’t see what she was thinking, what she was dreaming. The sun slowly set, and the shadows began to stretch along the ground. Bella was beginning to stir, getting closer to wakefulness. Edward left as he heard Charlie drive up the street. He launched himself into the tree line just as Bella awoke, startled by her uncle’s car pulling into the driveway.</p><p> </p><p>Bella opened her eyes and realised she’d been asleep. She hurried inside and took the fish out of it’s marinade bath and put it on the cooker, in a pan to fry. She already had some salad in the fridge to go with it.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie had just stepped in the door and Bella put the fish on. “Sorry Charlie, dinner isn’t ready yet. I fell asleep outside,” Bella said, stifling a yawn.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I wanted to catch the score on the game, anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>After dinner, Bella sat on the couch to watch tv with Charlie. He was kind enough to switch it from sport to a sitcom that neither of them really cared about.</p><p> </p><p>“Charlie,” Bella said during a commercial. “Jessica and Angela are going to look at dresses for the dance tomorrow night in Port Angeles and they wanted me to help them choose… do you mind if I go with them?”</p><p> </p><p>“Jessica Stanley?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>“And Angela Weber.” Bella sighed as she gave him the details. He was confused.</p><p> </p><p>“But you’re not going to the dance, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“No Charlie, but I’m helping them find dresses, you know, giving them constructive criticism.” Bella wouldn’t have had to explain this to a woman.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, okay.” He seemed to realise that he was out of his depth with the ‘girly’ stuff. “It’s a school night, though.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll leave right after school, so we can get back early. You’ll be okay for dinner, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Bells, I fed myself for years before you got here,” He reminded her.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know how you survived,” Bella said jokingly, which made Charlie chuckle softly. “I’ll leave somethings for cold cut sandwiches in the fridge, okay? Right on top.”</p><p> </p><p>It was sunny again in the morning. Bella had awoken with renewed hope that she would see Edward that day at school, but the sun immediately disproved that. Bella dressed for the warmer weather in a deep blue V-neck blouse. Bella tried not to feel disappointed that Edward wasn’t there, even though she’d already known he wouldn’t show.</p><p> </p><p>The Port Angeles scheme was back on again for tonight and made all the more attractive by the fact that Lauren had other obligations and couldn’t come. Bella was anxious to get out of town so she could stop looking over her shoulder, hoping to see him appearing out of the blue the way he always did.</p><p> </p><p>After school, Jessica followed Bella home so she could ditch her books and her truck. Bella brushed through her hair quickly when she was inside, feeling a slight lift of excitement as she contemplated getting out of Forks. She left a note for Charlie on the kitchen table, explaining again where to find dinner and where she had gone. Then Bella switched her scruffy wallet from her school bag to a purse she didn’t really use and ran out to get into Jessica’s old white Mercury. They went to Angela’s house next and she was waiting for them. Bella’s excitement increased steadily as they actually drove out of the town’s limits.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica drove faster than the Chief, so they made it to Port Angeles by four. It had been a while since Bella had had a girl’s night out, and just being with the girls gave Bella a boost of happiness. They listened to whiny rock songs while Jessica jabbered on about the boys they hung out with. Jessica’s dinner with Mike had gone very well, and she was hoping that by Saturday night, they would have progressed to the first-kiss stage. Bella smiled to herself, pleased. Angela was passively happy to be going to the dance, but not really interested in Eric. Jess tried to get her to confess who her type was, but Bella interrupted with a question about dresses after a bit, to spare Angela from answering. Angela threw a grateful glace Bella’s way for that.</p><p> </p><p>Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quainter than Forks. But Jessica and Angela knew it well, so they didn’t plan to waste any time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay. Jess drove straight to the one big department store in town, which was a few streets in from the bay area’s visitor-friendly face.</p><p> </p><p>The dance was billed as semiformal, and they weren’t exactly sure what that meant. Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when Bella told them she’d only ever been to one dance. Of course, Bella didn’t tell them that it was the Yule Ball more than four years ago. Sure, Bella had been to Christmas parties, but she hadn’t gone to a proper dance since she was fourteen.</p><p> </p><p>“Didn’t you ever go with a boyfriend or something?” Jessica asked dubiously as they walked through the front door.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve never had a boyfriend, really. The one dance I did go, I went with one of my male friends. He is in love with my then best girl-friend, but she went with one of the more popular boys instead. I wasn’t very interested in all that, anyway. Dating always seemed so intimidating. Plus, I was fourteen, so… I didn’t really go out much.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?” Jessica demanded, examining dresses on the rack.</p><p> </p><p>“No one asked me,” Bella answered honestly.</p><p> </p><p>She looked sceptical. “People ask you out here,” she reminded Bella. “and you tell them no.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, except for Tyler.” Angela amended quietly.</p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me?” Bella gasped. “What did you say?”</p><p> </p><p>“Tyler told everyone he’s taking you to prom.” Jessica informed Bella with suspicious eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“He said what?” Bella exclaimed, sounding like she was choking.</p><p> </p><p>“I told you it wasn’t true.” Angela murmured to Jessica.</p><p> </p><p>Bella was silent, lost in shock that was quickly tuning to irritation.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s why Lauren doesn’t like you.” Jessica giggled as the three of them pawed through the dresses.</p><p> </p><p>Bella ground her teeth. “Do you think that if I ran him over with my truck, he might stop feeling guilty about the accident? That he might give up on making amends and call it even?”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe,” Jessica snickered. “If that’s why he’s doing this.” The dress selection wasn’t large, but both of them found a few things to try on. Bella sat on a low chair just inside the dressing room, by the three-way mirror. Bella didn’t want to consider that Tyler was doing all this because he <em>liked </em>her.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica was torn between two dresses, one long strapless basic black number, the other a knee-length electric blue with spaghetti straps. Bella encouraged her to go with the blue.</p><p> </p><p>“It really brings out your eyes. It’ll make Mike melt.” Bella said with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Angela chose a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out the honey tints in her light brown hair. Bella complimented them both generously and helped by returning the rejects to their racks. The whole process was much shorter and easier than similar trips Bella had taken with her friends back in London.</p><p> </p><p>‘I guess there was something to be said for limited choices.’ Bella thought.</p><p> </p><p>They headed over to shoes and accessories. While they tried things on, Bella watched and critiqued, she even tried on a pair of her own shoes, still trying to have fun, despite the whole Tyler situation.</p><p> </p><p>“Angela?” Bella began, while Angela was trying on a pair of pink strappy heels. She was overjoyed to have a date tall enough that she could wear high heels at all.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica had drifted to the jewellery counter and Bella and Angela were alone.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?” She held her leg out, twisting her ankle to get a better view of the shoe.</p><p> </p><p>“I like those.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’ll get them, though they’ll never match anything but the one dress.” She mused.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, go ahead! They’re on sale.”</p><p> </p><p>Jessica returned to show us the rhinestone jewellery she’d found to match her silver shoes. The three girls had planned to go to dinner at a little Italian restaurant on the boardwalk, but the dress shopping hadn’t taken as long as they had expected. Jessica and Angela were going to take their clothes back to the car and then walk down to the bay. Bella told them that she would meet them at the restaurant in an hour, she wanted to look for a bookstore. They were both willing to come with her, but Bella encouraged them to go have fun. They didn’t know how preoccupied Bella could get when surrounded by books; it was something she preferred to do alone… unless it was Hermione with her. They walked off to the car, chattering happily and Bella headed off in the direction that Jessica had pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>Bella had no trouble finding the bookstore, and she loved it. It was full of crystals, dreamcatchers and books about spiritual healing, as well as a regular selection of books. The woman manning the desk was about fifty years old with long grey hair worn straight down her back, clad in a bohemian style dress. She smiled welcoming at Bella from behind the counter. Bella walked in and felt real, actual magic in the air. Bella walked right up to the lady behind the desk.</p><p> </p><p>“Your shop is beautiful. I’ve seen another shop like this, in Diagon Alley.”</p><p> </p><p>The woman grinned and gestured to a room behind her. “You’ll find more of that sort of thing back there.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned, and walked around the desk and into the back. After poking around, seeing some Dumbledore worthy artefacts, Bella ended up picking up a new potions book, a more recent release than the books she had. Bella then walked out into the main part of the shop and picked up some regular Muggle fiction called <em>Hunger Games</em> and went to the lady and bought her items. The lady smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“That book from the other room has a lot of great reviews. It was in the Wizard’s Voice and in UK and US Daily Prophets’.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned. “Thanks, the potions book I have is a bit out of date. I wasn’t sure where the local store for this sort of thing was here. There certainly isn’t one in Forks.”</p><p> </p><p>The woman nodded sagely. “Yes, the next closest one is in Seattle, in their little streets, you know.” The bell rung and a person, clearly a Muggle, entered the store.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for all your help.” Bella said, hiding her books in a bag the woman provided.</p><p> </p><p>After that small shopping trip, Bella meandered through the streets, which were filling up with end-of-the-workday traffic, and hoped she was heading toward downtown. Bella wasn’t paying as much attention as she probably should have. She looked up to see someone’s silver Volvo parked along the street, and it all came crashing down on her.</p><p> </p><p>‘Stupid vampire!’ Bella thought to herself. ‘Stupid Bella. Stop thinking about him so much!’</p><p> </p><p>Bella stomped along in a southerly direction, toward some glass-fronted shops that looked promising. But when she got to them, they were just a repair shop and a vacant space. Bella still had too much time to go looking for Jessica and Angela yet, and she definitely needed to get her mood in hand before she met back up with them. Bella hooked some hair back around her ears and took some deep breaths before she continued around the corner. Bella started to realise, as she crossed another road, that she was going in the wrong direction. The little foot traffic that she’d seen was going north, and it looked like the buildings here were mostly warehouses. Bella decided to turn east at the next corner and then loop around after a few blocks and try her luck on a different street on her way back to the boardwalk.</p><p> </p><p>A group of four men turned the corner she was heading for, dressed too casually to be heading home from the office, but they were too grimy to be tourists. As they approached Bella, she realised that they weren’t too many years older than she was. They were joking loudly among themselves, laughing raucously and punching each other’s arms. Bella scooted as far to the inside of the sidewalk as she could give them, walking swiftly, looking past them to the corner. They reminded her of the Snatchers that hunted Muggleborns during the War.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey there!” one of them called as they passed and he had to be talking to Bella, as there was no one else around. Bella glanced up automatically. Two of them had paused, the other who were slowing. The closest, a heavyset dark-haired man in his early twenties, seemed to be the one who has spoken. He was wearing a flannel shirt open over a dirty t-shirt, cut-off jeans and sandals. He took a half step towards Bella. She didn’t reply, continuing to walk past them and toward the corner. Bella could hear them laughing at full volume behind her.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, wait!” one of them called after her, but Bella kept her head down and rounded the corner with a sigh of relief. Bella could still hear them chortling behind her. She knew she could take them easily if they tried anything, but she didn’t want to draw attention to herself, preferring to just avoid them.</p><p> </p><p>Bella found herself on a footpath leading past the backs of several sombre-coloured warehouses, each with large bay doors for unloading trucks, padlocked for the night. The south side of the street had no footpath, only a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, protecting some kind of engine parts storage yard. Bella had wandered far past the parts of Port Angeles that a guest to the little town was supposed to see. It was getting dark, Bella realised, the clouds finally returning, piling up on the western horizon, creating an early sunset. The eastern sky was still clear, but greying, shot through with streaks of pink and orange. Bella had left her jacket in Jessica’s car and a sudden shiver made Bella cross her arms tightly across her chest. A single van passed her, and then the road was empty.</p><p> </p><p>‘Perhaps I should cast a point me spell? Find my way out of here?’ Bella thought.</p><p> </p><p>The sky darkened suddenly, and as Bella looked over her shoulder to glare at the offending cloud, Bella realised with a shock that two men were walking quietly twenty feet behind her. They were from the same group that she’d passed at the corner, though neither as the one who’d spoken to her. Bella prepared what spells she’d cast to make them back off. She crossed the street but noticed that the footsteps behind her were louder. Bella looked ahead and noticed the other two men, waiting against the wall ahead of her. The thickset man shrugged away from the wall as Bella approached.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stopped, standing her ground. “It’s late, I’m tired. I’m in no mood for this. Stay away from me.” Bella warned, her voice full of confidence, fearless. ‘The model Gryffindor,’ Bella mentally scoffed.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t be like that, sugar.” He called, and the raucous laughter started behind her.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked, and braced herself, feet apart. One man lunged for her, but Bella easily side-stepped him. He crashed into the guys behind her.</p><p> </p><p>“I said, stay away from me.” Bella repeated.</p><p> </p><p>The thickset man’s smile turned into a snarl. He came at her and Bella punched him hard in the throat and then while he couldn’t breathe, kicked him in the dick, causing him to keel over. Bella quickly turned to the other three guys, and just as she cast an overpowered full-body binding spell on them (which would last only a few hours), headlights suddenly flew around the corner, the car almost hitting the stocky one that Bella had incapacitated, forcing him to roll out of the way, clutching his junk. The silver car unexpectedly fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open, just a few feet from her.</p><p> </p><p>“Get in!” Came Edward’s furious voice. The thickset man sprang to his feet, and Bella quickly whirled around, punching him even harder in the throat with her left hand and then, using the palm of her right hand, slammed it up into his nose. Bella heard the sickening crunch, and the man went down again. Bella then quickly got into the car, slamming the door shut, and quickly putting on her seatbelt.</p><p> </p><p>Despite how fast Edward was driving, Bella felt totally safe in his presence and totally unconcerned about where they were going. Finally, he pulled into a very quiet road, the car coming to a sudden stop.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Bella asked Edward calmly.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” He said curtly, and his tone was livid.</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed deeply, waiting for Edward to calm down.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?” He asked, his voice tight, controlled.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?” Bella replied, her voice as calm as before.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you alright?” He still didn’t look at her, but the fury was plain on his face. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, yes. I’m fine. Hardly the worst opponents I’ve come up against.”</p><p> </p><p>“Distract me, please.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled softly. “Sure.” Bella didn’t have to use Legilimency to know that Edward was trying his hardest not to go back and kill those guys, despite how easily Bella had dispatched them. “I’m going to run over Tyler Crowley tomorrow before school.”</p><p> </p><p>He was still squeezing his eyes closed, but the corner of his mouth twitched.</p><p> </p><p>“Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s telling everyone that he’s taking me to prom. Either he is insane or he’s still trying to make up for … the incident. He obviously thinks this is the best way to make it up to me, no matter how I feel on the subject. So I figure, if I endanger his life, then we’re even. I don’t need enemies, so Lauren might back off if he left me alone. I might have to total his Sentra, though. If he doesn’t have a ride, he can’t take anyone to prom.”</p><p> </p><p>“I heard about that.” He sounded a bit more composed.</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “Of course you did,” then she added under her breath, “If he’s paralysed from the neck down, he can’t go to the prom either.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward sighed and finally opened his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Better?” Bella asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Not really.”</p><p> </p><p>Time passed rather quickly while Edward tried to calm himself down. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was past six-thirty.</p><p> </p><p>“Jessica and Angela will be worried.” Bella murmured softly, knowing he could hear her very clearly. “I was supposed to meet them.”</p><p> </p><p>He started the engine without another word, turning around smoothly and speeding back towards town, and straight to the boardwalk. He parallel parked against the curb in a space Bella would have thought was slightly too small for the Volvo, but he slid in effortlessly in one try. Bella looked out the window to see the lights of La Bella Italia, and Jess and Angela just leaving, pacing anxiously away from us. Clearly he had seen the restaurant in Jessica’s mind.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stepped out of the car to see Edward stepping out too. “What are you doing?” Bella asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m taking you to dinner.” He smiled slightly, but his eyes were hard. He stepped out of the car and slammed the door. He spoke before Bella could. “Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down too. I don’t think I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smothered a smile at the threat in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Jess! Angela!” Bella yelled after them, waving when they turned. They rushed back to Bella, the pronounced relief on both their faces simultaneously changing to surprise as they saw who I was standing next to. They hesitated a few feet from us.</p><p> </p><p>“Where have you been?” Jessica’s voice was suspicious.</p><p> </p><p>“I honestly got lost,” Bella admitted, shamefaced. “And then I ran into Edward. He helped me find my way back.”</p><p> </p><p>“Would it be alright if I joined you?” He asked in his silken, irresistible voice. Bella could see from their staggered expression that he had never unleashed his persuasive talents on them before.</p><p> </p><p>“Er… sure.” Jessica breathed.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, actually Bella, we already ate while we were waiting, sorry.” Angela confessed.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s perfectly alright, Angela. I feel like such a dope getting lost.” Bella replied sheepishly, eyes wide with not totally affected innocence.</p><p> </p><p>“I think you should eat something,” Edward’s voice was low, but full of authority. He looked up at Jessica and spoke slightly louder. “Do you mind if I drive Bella home tonight? That way you won’t have to wait while she eats.”</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, no problem, I guess…” She bit her lip, trying to figure out from Bella’s expression whether that was what she wanted. Bella winked at her. Bella wanted nothing more to be alone with Edward. There were so many things she wanted to talk to him about. If she was about to tell him what she knew, she thought it only fair to come clean to him too.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Angela was quicker than Jessica. “See you tomorrow Bella …  Edward.” She grabbed Jessica’s hand and pulled her toward the car, which Bella could see a little ways away, parked across First street. As they got in, Jess turned and waved, her face eager with curiosity. Bella waved back, waiting for them to drive away before she turned to face Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“Sweet, I’m starving.” Bella grinned at him, linking her arm through his, surprising him, and led him to the restaurant.</p><p> </p><p>He disentangled himself from Bella, so he could open the door for her.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled warmly. “Such a gentleman.” Edward smirked slightly in return.</p><p> </p><p>The restaurant wasn’t crowded, it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was female, and Bella recognised the look in her eyes as she assessed Edward. She welcomed him with a little more warmly than necessary. Bella was actually surprised by how much that bothered her. Normally, she would have understood, I mean, the woman had eyes and Edward was Edward, after all. She was several inches taller than Bella and was unnaturally blonde.</p><p> </p><p>“A table for two?” his voice was alluring, whether he was aiming for that or not. Bella saw her eyes flicker to her and then away, satisfied by Bella’s obvious ordinariness, and by the cautious, no-contact space Edward kept between Bella and himself. She led them to a table big enough for four in the centre of the most crowded area of the dinning room. Before the woman could even gesture to the table, Edward interrupted.</p><p> </p><p>“Perhaps something more private?” he insisted quietly to the host.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,” She sounded surprised. She turned and led us around a partition to a small ring of booths, all of the empty. “how’s this?”</p><p> </p><p>“Perfect,” he flashed his gleaming smile, dazing her momentarily.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh,” she shook her head, blinking. “your server will be right out.” She walked away unsteadily.</p><p> </p><p>Bella sat in the booth the same time as Edward did, an amused expression on her face. “You shouldn’t do that to people,” Bella said. “it’s hardly fair.</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “Do what?”</p><p> </p><p>“Dazzle them like that, she’s probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now.”</p><p> </p><p>He seemed confused.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh come on,” Bella laughed lightly. “You have to know the effect you have on people.”</p><p> </p><p>He tilted his head to one side, and his eyes were curious. “I dazzle people?”</p><p> </p><p>“You haven’t noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?”</p><p> </p><p>He ignored my questions. “Do I dazzle you?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, unashamedly. “Frequently.”</p><p> </p><p>And then the server arrived, her face expectant. The hostess had definitely dished behind the scenes, and this new girl didn’t look disappointed. She flipped a strand of short black hair behind one ear and smiled <em>very</em> warmly at Edward, pretty much ignoring Bella.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, my name is Amber, and I’ll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll have a Coke, please.” Bella said clearly, drawing the server’s attention.</p><p> </p><p>“Two Cokes,” Edward added.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be right back with that,” She assured him with another unnecessary smile. But he didn’t see it. He was watching Bella.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Bella asked when the server had left.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes stayed fixed on Bella’s face. “How are you feeling?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine.” Bella replied with a smile, slightly surprised by his intensity.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t feel dizzy, sick, cold…?”</p><p> </p><p>“Should I?” Bella asked with a wry smile.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled at Bella’s puzzled tone. “Well, I’m actually waiting for you to go into shock.” His face twisted up into that perfect crooked smile.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, surprising him this time. “I haven’t gone into shock since I was 15.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “But the images I saw in your head…?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “I wasn’t shocked.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward shook his head, almost in frustration, but letting that drop for a moment. “Just the same, I’ll feel better when you have some sugar and food in you.”</p><p> </p><p>Right on cue, the waitress appeared with their drinks and a basket of breadsticks. She stood with her back to Bella as she placed them on the table.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you ready to order?” She asked Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?” he asked. She turned unwillingly toward Bella.</p><p> </p><p>Bella picked the first thing she saw on the menu. “Um, I’ll have the mushroom ravioli please.”</p><p> </p><p>She turned back to Edward with a smile. “And you?</p><p> </p><p>“Nothing for me,” He said. Of course not.</p><p> </p><p>“Let me know if you change your mind.” The coy smile was still in place, but he wasn’t looking at her, and she left dissatisfied.</p><p> </p><p>“Drink,” he ordered.</p><p> </p><p>Bella sipped her soda obediently, amused by Edward’s concern. Though, she did drink more deeply than she originally thought. Apparently, she was thirsty. Edward noticed Bella shiver, and shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her to put on.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just from the coke,” but she put the jacket on anyway. It was cold, but that didn’t surprise Bella. It smelled amazing though. His natural, inhuman scent.</p><p> </p><p>“That colour blue looks lovely with your skin,” he said, watching her. And despite herself, Bella blushed. He pushed the breadbasket toward her.</p><p> </p><p>“Really, I’m not going to go into shock.” Bella assured him.</p><p> </p><p>“You should be; a normal person would be. You don’t even look shaken.” He seemed unsettled. He stared into her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled. “That was hardly the worst thing that has happened to me.”</p><p> </p><p>This displeased him; his alabaster brow furrowed. He shook his head, frowning.</p><p> </p><p>“This is more complicated than I’d planned.” He murmured to himself.</p><p> </p><p>Before he could say anything more, the waitress strode around the partition with Bella’s food. Bella realised they’d been unconsciously leaning toward each other across the table, because they both straightened when she approached. She set the dish in front of Bella, it looked delicious, and turned quickly to Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you change your mind?” she asked. “Isn’t there anything I can get you.” There was definitely a double meaning in her words.</p><p> </p><p>“No, thank you, but if you could take these away, that would be nice.” He gestured with a long white hand to the empty cups in front of us.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure.” She removed the empty glasses and walked away.</p><p> </p><p>“I have some things to tell you, but this isn’t the most private place.” Bella said softly. “I can make it so that no one will hear us, but the waitress might become suspicious.”</p><p> </p><p>“You already know all the answers to the questions you want to ask.” Edward said. It wasn’t an accusation, just a statement.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. “true.” She speared a ravioli with her fork and put it in her mouth. She wasn’t sure how he knew that <em>she </em>knew, but it didn’t surprise her either way.</p><p> </p><p>There was silence for a moment before Edward chose to speak.</p><p> </p><p>“I followed you to Port Angeles,” He admitted. “I’ve never tried to keep a specific person alive before and it’s much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that’s probably because it’s you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes.” He paused, surprised that Bella started laughing. “what?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, its just what you said. How you’re surprised that so many catastrophes happen around me. I’m not. My friends always called it the ‘Potter luck’. Whenever something bad around me happened, they’d always say ‘and the Potter luck strikes again’. Apparently, it ran in the family.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “Is your mother’s maiden name Potter?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “That’s a different story, one that will have to wait for the car ride home.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded understandingly. “Still, too many catastrophes, even with your ‘Potter Luck’, as you say.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you ever think that maybe my number was up the first time, with the van, and that you’ve been interfering with fate?” Bella speculated, trying to get Edward’s thoughts. He didn’t know she was immortal, and she wanted to know his motives.</p><p> </p><p>“That wasn’t the first time,” he said, “Your number was up the first time I saw you, in that Biology class.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. “Yes, but my scent doesn’t seem to bother you much now.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “I assume you did something to alter it, or dampening, rather.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course. I saw that it caused you discomfort, so I simply, stopped you from smelling it.”</p><p> </p><p>“How?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “I’ll tell you in the car. I’d be breaking the law if I told you here.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward looked confused, but if she was going to explain during the car ride home, he would be patient. “You eat, I’ll talk.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella put another ravioli in her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s harder than it should be, keeping track of you. Usually, I can find someone very easily, once I’ve heard their mind before.” He looked at Bella nervously. Bella looked nonplussed, continue to eat her dinner, which surprised him yet again, but he continued to speak. “I was keeping tabs on Jessica, not carefully, like I said, only you could find trouble in Port Angeles; and I didn’t notice that you’d taken off on your own. Then, when I realised that you weren’t with her anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in her head. I could tell you’d gone in, and from your bags, you obviously bought some things. I could see from there you’d headed south, and I knew you would have to turn around soon. So, I was just waiting for you, randomly searching the thoughts of people on the street, to see if anyone had noticed you, so I would know where you were. I had no reason to be worried, but … I was strangely anxious.” He was lost in thought, staring past Bella, seeing things.</p><p> </p><p>“I started driving in circles, still … listening. The sun was finally setting, and I was about to get out and follow you on foot and then,” he stopped, trying to calm himself. “I heard what they were thinking. I saw your face in his mind.” He suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table, his hand covering his eyes. “It was very … hard, you can’t imagine how hard, for me to simply take you away and leave them … alive.” His voice was muffled by his arm. “I could have let you go with Jessica and Angela, but I was afraid if you left me alone, I would go looking for them.” He admitted in a whisper.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled understandingly and reached for his hand. He tried to pull away, but Bella wouldn’t let him. “I know.” She said softly.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, he looked up, his eyes seeking Bella’s, full of his own questions.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you ready to go home?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I am ready to leave,” Bella qualified, overly grateful that they had an hour-long ride home to explain everything to him. The waitress appeared as if she’d been called.</p><p> </p><p>“how are we doing?” she asked Edward.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re ready for the cheque, thank you.” His voice was quiet, rougher, still reflecting the strain of our conversation. It seemed to muddle her. He looked up, waiting.</p><p> </p><p>“S-sure,” She stuttered. “Here you go.” She pulled a small leather folder from the front pocket of her black apron and handed it to him. There was a bill in his hand already. He slipped it into the folder and handed it right back to her.</p><p> </p><p>“No change.” He smiled, then he stood up, Bella moving with him.</p><p> </p><p>The waitress smiled invitingly at him again. “You have a nice evening.” He didn’t look away from Bella as he thanked her. Bella suppressed a smile. He walked close beside Bella as they made their way to the door, still careful not to touch her. Bella remembered what Jessica had said about her relationship with Mike, how they were almost to the first-kiss stage. Bella sighed. Edward heard her and looked down curiously. Bella looked at the footpath, blushing, glad her Occlumency shields were well in place.</p><p> </p><p>He opened the passenger door, holding it for Bella as she stepped in, shutting it softly behind her. Once he was inside the car, he started the engine and turned the heater on high. It had become quite cold. Edward pulled out through traffic, apparently without a glace, flipping around to head toward the freeway. “Now,” he said significantly. “it’s your turn.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Crookshanks is Out of the Bag</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 7</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed. “Okay, I’m going to start by saying that I know you and your family are vampires, as you have most likely gathered.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked, nodding slowly, but didn’t say anything, waiting for Bella to continue.</p><p> </p><p>“I know this because, well, I’m not who you think I am. I’m not who Charlie and I have been saying I am to everyone in this town. I mean, I am Charlie’s niece, that much <em>is</em> true.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward stared at her. “What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t born Isabella Marie Swan,” Bella began, noting Edward’s surprised expression. “I was born Isabella Lily Potter, heir apparent to the Utmost Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Peverell and Black. Now, I am Lord of these houses, among others. I am immortal, like you, due to an extenuating circumstance. I am a witch.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Edward pulled off the highway and stopped at a viewpoint, overlooking the ocean. “You figured out what we are because you’re a witch? Like, magic and spells? Why would you come here and pretend to be someone else? Why make this whole identity?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella let her American accent fall, plunging right back into her original British accent, making Edward’s jaw drop, which was an odd look for a vampire. “Up until about seven months ago, despite what records might say to the contrary, Isabella Marie Swan didn’t exist. But to understand why I created this identity; I need to tell you about Isabella Potter.</p><p> </p><p>When I was fifteen months old, a dark wizard, the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort, Descendant of Lord Salazar Slytherin himself, came to kill me. You see, there was this prophecy:</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>That was me, one of the only wizarding children born at the end of July, in the Wizarding world, in 1987. There was one other child, Neville Longbottom, but the Dark Lord chose me, a half-blood like himself.” Bella lifted her bangs and showed him the lightning bolt scar. “He literally marked me as his equal. He killed my father James first, left his body at the foot of the stairs. My mother, Lily, had run with me upstairs to the nursery. Voldemort had put down anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards, so my mother couldn’t teleport us away. She stood between Voldemort and me, begged for my life, pleaded with him. Defied him three times before he killed her. Then, he turned his wand on me. But it didn’t work. My mother had died to save me, invoking ancient and powerful magic that Voldemort had not foreseen. The spell rebounded, destroying Voldemort’s body and leaving me with this scar on my forehead.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward stared at her. “And then what happened?”</p><p> </p><p>“Albus too-many-middle-names-and-titles Dumbledore whisked me away and left me with my mother’s Muggle sister. Muggle is our word for people with no magic. You see, my mother was a Muggleborn. She was born into a family that had no known prior magic in their blood. My father, on the other hand, was a pureblood. Magic stretching back for centuries upon centuries. For the next ten years of my life, I was abused beyond recognition. They made me sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. And, well, I guess you can imagine. I knew nothing about magic, about my family, nothing. My aunt and uncle told me that my parents were good for nothing drunks, who had gotten themselves killed in a car accident, where I was the only survivor. They often told me that I should have died with them, and most of the time, I wish I had.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Edward was staring at her still, mind boggled, shock pooling in the pit of his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>“Just before my eleventh birthday, I got a letter. It was addressed to: Miss I Potter, no. 4 Privet Drive, Cupboard Under the Stairs, Little Whinging, Surrey. I quickly read the letter, not believing what it said. Magic, how could that be real? And I’d been accepted to some private, magical boarding school? So, I walked into the kitchen with it. My cousin, Dudley, took the letter immediately and gave it to my aunt and uncle. They freaked out and locked me in my cupboard. For weeks, they kept finding letters in odd place. My uncle went mad, demanded we make a run for it. It sucked, because I had actually been given my own bedroom for the first time since before my parents died.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, a man, well I say man, he’s actually half-giant, caught up to us and took me to get my school stuff. He’d known my parents and told me the truth. I was famous for something I couldn’t even remember. People of the wizarding world called me ‘the Girl-Who-Lived’ because I was the only person to ever face the unstoppable, Unforgivable Killing curse, and live. No one had ever survived it before. I was the first. And the Dark Lord had disappeared, so it was believed that I had somehow stopped him. I was the saviour. I was practically worshipped by all those who had opposed him. I couldn’t walk into a room without be recognised. I had looked exactly like my father, except for my eyes. I have my mother’s eyes. I look more like my mother now, of course, though at eleven, you tend to be a little androgynous.” Bella smiled sadly. “But it was the scar that people looked at first.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella then rushed through her first and second years of Hogwarts. She went into third, fourth, fifth and sixth years in more detail. How a Blood Quill had caused the scars on the back of her hands during detentions with a sadistic teacher. The pain she had experience, how she mourned. Sirius Black, her godfather and first childhood love (not in a creepy way, though. It was just because he was the first adult male who loved her for her, next to Remus). About being tortured until she had considered begging for death, Bellatrix carving slurs into her flesh. About the Horcruxes. The one in her scar. The Deathly Hallows.</p><p> </p><p>“The visions you saw in my head? That was the Battle of Hogwarts. It was where I finally defeated Lord Voldemort once and for all. The price? My mortality. I’d lost so much. I had gone willingly to my death to say everyone else’s lives, I had wanted to die. I was so tired, and I thought that it would just end if I did this. However, it sort of backfired. I did for my friends and allies what my mother did for me. No spell Voldemort tried to put on them held for very long after that. I survived the Killing curse again, but only because of the Horcrux in my head. There was one last battle between Voldemort and I, and I came out the victor. I was no longer the Girl-Who-Lived, I became the Woman-Who-Conquered.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A few months later, I got into a bad motorcycle accident, Sirius’s bike, and I died. But, after about an hour, my neck snapped back into place and I breathed. I was alive again. Death had come to me and told me what had happened to me, that I was now Their master, that I was now immortal. Before the accident, I had found records that my father had an older brother, one who had been hidden because he lacked magic, Charlie Swan. He was born Charlus Potter, but he was moved here to the US when he was fifteen, when my father was born. After connecting with Charlie and with his permission to live with him, I created false documents, the whole shebang. It was ready by the time I turned 18 in July. That’s when I came to America. I like it here in Forks, it reminds me of my life in Scotland.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward had since started driving back as Bella told her story, and they were about 20 minutes away from Bella’s house.</p><p> </p><p>“But why did you have to leave? You were titled, you’re literally nobility. The war was over. You had everything you wanted.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “I needed to get away. I had become the saviour of the Wizarding world, again, but then they also expected me to clean it up. I was tortured badly, and I lost many people I loved. The community wouldn’t give me time to heal, so I just took it. And besides, I’m slowly becoming a goddess. I’ll just disappear now, make a clean break. Fade into legend. Hopefully, no one will come looking for me. My friends might come visit in a few years, but otherwise, Isabella Potter has permanently vanished. I never wanted to be famous or immortal or be rich or be a saviour. I just wanted to fit in, be like everyone else. I just wanted to be me, plain old Bella.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded slowly, processing what he had learned, his figurative heart breaking for her. For what his love experienced. “You could hardly be plain, Bella.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes but continued speaking as if Edward hadn’t spoken. “So, Edward, the point I’ve been trying to make with this whole story is that, you don’t have to be worried about hurting me. I can’t die. Or, if I do, I don’t stay dead. You being a vampire is fine, you can’t hurt me. I can weave spells to protect me, to protect you. You can stop trying to not be my friend to protect me. I sort of liked the idea of us being friends. It meant I wouldn’t have to face eternity alone.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled warmly at her. “I would be honoured to be your friend.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, though there was a bitter tone to it. “You don’t have to go that far. Honoured is a strong word.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward caught the underlining meaning to her words. “I’m not saying I’m honoured to be Isabella Potter’s friend. I’m saying I’m honoured to be Bella Swan’s friend.” Edward replied, looking deeply into her eyes, making Bella’s cheeks warm.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” Bella said softly.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re welcome,” Edward replied, just as gently. He paused for a moment. “Do you have any other questions for me?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella pondered for a moment. “How long have you been seventeen?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed. “That’s the question you ask? Not whether or not I drink human blood or something like that.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. “I already know that you only drink animal blood.”</p><p> </p><p>“How?” Edward asked, frowning.</p><p> </p><p>“Your eyes. They’re gold. Only vampires that drink animal blood have gold eyes.”</p><p> </p><p>“And how do you know that?”</p><p> </p><p>“I went to a witch school, remember? For witches. I learnt stuff there.” Bella said slowly, as if she were speaking to a child.</p><p> </p><p>Edward snorted. “I can’t believe in my 104 years of living, to answer your question, never have I met a witch.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. “If you had before 1890, you might not have survived the encounter.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?” Edward asked, turning up Bella’s street.</p><p> </p><p>“Before 1890, there were no laws against hunting and killing vampires. The ‘<em>Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans</em>’ was created in 1890 (A/N: don’t know when this was actually written, just making it up as I go along), and that outlawed killing vampires on sight, unless they were attacking you first. There are a few spells that can dispatch your species of vampire. And I know them all.” Bella replied, grinning.</p><p> </p><p>Edward blanched. “Maybe I should be the one wary of you.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “I did warn you that I might be the bad friend, not the other way around.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hold on though, my species of vampire? There’s more than one?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded. “I’m actually surprised you don’t know that. Firstly, the most common type is the Dracula kind of vampire. Burns in sunlight, allergic to garlic, and fangs. Those are the main differences. That, and they don’t have your inhuman beauty. They’re still cold to the touch. The other kind is called a Day-Walker, kind of like <em>Blade</em>. But they have to be beheaded and burned to be destroyed. Their heads can be reattached, you see. They have a heartbeat, but it’s not super strong. And then finally, your species. Crystallised, almost like diamond. Like a diamond, you generally can only be killed by another of your kind. Or by a witch or wizard. But of course, you know the rest.</p><p> </p><p>Then there are the hybrids, when each species reproduces with humans. Males of all three species can impregnate human females. Vampire females of all species cannot have children. I’m sure you know these facts too, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked. “I didn’t know that male vampires could have children with human females.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “It’s really rare that it happens. Most women don’t survive the initial encounter. I know about maybe one case of your species having a child with a human. The baby literally tore itself out of its mother’s body, wasn’t pretty when we studied it in DADA. And then, how did you think the first Day-Walker came into being? A pregnant woman being changed or being pregnant with a Dracula type vampire’s kid creates a Day-Walker. That, or the Day-Walker bites and changes a human into a Day-Walker.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded, processing this information. “DADA?” Edward asked suddenly, as he parked against the curb outside Bella’s house.</p><p> </p><p>“Defence Against the Dark Arts.” Bella recited. She looked at her watch, it was barely 8pm, still early.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I ask you something?” Edward requested softly.</p><p> </p><p>“You just did, but sure.”</p><p> </p><p>“What were you thinking, when I showed up tonight?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled. “I was glad you were there. I knew I could deal with the four guys pretty easily, but… I liked that you showed up to save me.” There was silence for a moment. “I wish you had called me Monday night. I knew you had to avoid the sunlight, but I would have liked it.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “Why? I knew you were safe.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed, looking down at her hands. “Yeah, but I didn’t know.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled softly at her. “I see. I’m sorry that I made you worry.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “Well, I didn’t worry for too long, what with you watching me that afternoon.”</p><p> </p><p>“H-how did you know?”</p><p> </p><p>“I sensed you were there, in the trees. It looked like you were…patrolling, almost.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, well. Two of Jasper’s old friends had stopped by to visit, they’re not vegetarian, and I… well. I wanted to keep an eye on you while they were here. I knew they weren’t going to feed in town, but your scent. It’s so tantalising when you don’t hide it, I was worried that they might…”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed softly. “Paranoid much?”</p><p> </p><p>“It was before I knew you were immortal! You seemed so vulnerable, so fragile. I couldn’t not check on you, even if it was only for a little while.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, Edward.” Bella said, resting a comforting hand on his arm. “I understand. I know that, as a vampire, my blood and my scent would make you Thirsty, so I mask it with my magic. But why is it so unbearable for you?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s because you are my singer. Your blood <em>sings</em> to me.” Edward replied. He glanced at the dashboard. “You should go inside.”</p><p> </p><p>“Will I see you tomorrow?” Bella asked softly.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, it is overcast tomorrow. Besides, I have a paper due.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella began to shrug off his coat when he stopped her. “Please, hang on to it. Since Jessica has your jacket.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “I don’t want to have to explain it to Charlie. I’ll call Jess when I get inside to bring it to school tomorrow.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled. “Sure thing.” She turned to open the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?”</p><p> </p><p>She turned back and he was leaning towards her, his pale, glorious face just inches from hers. Bella’s heart stopped beating.</p><p> </p><p>“Sleep well,” he said. His breath blew in Bella’s face, stunning her. It was the same exquisite scent that clung to his jacket, but in a more concentrated form. Bella blinked, thoroughly dazed. He leaned away and Bella was unable to move until her brain had somewhat unscrambled itself.</p><p> </p><p>She exited the car, having to use the frame for support, causing Edward to chuckle softly. He waited until Bella had stumbled to the front door, and then she heard his engine quietly rev. Bella turned to watch the silver car disappear around the corner. Bella realised it was very cold.</p><p> </p><p>Bella reached for the key mechanically, unlocked the door and stepped inside.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Bells,” Charlie called from the loungeroom. “Did you have a nice time?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, it was great Charlie,” Bella replied. Her head was spinning as she tried to remember all the way back to the girls’ night out. “They both found dresses.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just tired. I did a lot of walking.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, maybe you should go lie down.” He sounded concerned. Bella wondered what her face must have looked like to elicit that kind of concern.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just going to call Jessica first.”</p><p> </p><p>“Weren’t you just with her?” He asked, surprised.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, but I left my jacket in her car. I want to make sure she brings it tomorrow.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, give her a chance to get home first.”</p><p> </p><p>“Right,” Bella agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Bella went to the kitchen and fell, exhausted, into a chair. Bella was feeling dizzy. Bella wondered if she was going to go into shock after all. She doubted it was her experience before Edward turned up that was making her dizzy.</p><p> </p><p>‘Get a grip,’ Bella told herself. She was going to have nightmares for sure. Not because of Edward, but because of having to relive her previous life, the explanation had brought up bad memories.</p><p> </p><p>The phone rang suddenly, startling her. Bella yanked it off the hook.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello?” Bella asked breathlessly.</p><p> </p><p>“Bella?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Jess, I was just going to call you.”</p><p> </p><p>“You made it home?” Her voice sounded relieved.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. I left my jacket in your car, could you bring it to me tomorrow?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure. But tell me what happened!” She demanded.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, tomorrow, in Trig, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>She caught on quickly. “Oh, is your uncle there?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, that’s right.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, then. Bye!” Bella could hear the impatience in her voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Bye Jess.”</p><p> </p><p>With that, Bella called out goodnight to Charlie and then headed up the stairs slowly, a heavy stupor clouding her mind. She went through the motions of getting ready for bed without paying any attention to what she was doing. It wasn’t until she was in the shower, the water too hot and burning her skin, that Bella realised she was freezing. Bella shuddered violently for several minutes before the steaming spray could finally relax her rigid muscles. Then, she stood in the shower, too tired to move, until the hot water ran cold.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stumbled out, wrapping herself securely in a towel, trying to hold onto the heat from the water in so the aching shivers wouldn’t return. She dressed for bed swiftly and climbed under her doonah, curling into a ball, hugging herself to keep warm. A few small shudders trembled through her. Her mind swirled dizzily, full of images that she couldn’t understand, some she fought to repress. Mostly about her life as Isabella Potter, but then they transformed into more recent thoughts. Nothing seemed clear at the beginning, but as she fell gradually closer to unconsciousness, a few uncertainties became evident. About three things Bella was absolutely sure of. First, Bella’s past had fucked her up good, so much so, finally telling someone about it made her want to go catatonic for a few weeks or months. Secondly, Edward was a vampire and there was a part of him, and Bella didn’t know how potent that part might be, that Thirsted for her blood. And thirdly, Bella was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.</p><p> </p><p>It was very hard, in the morning, to argue with the part of herself that was sure last night was a dream. Logic wasn’t on her side, or common sense. Bella clung to the parts she couldn’t have imagined, like his smell. She was sure that she couldn’t have dreamed that up on her own.</p><p> </p><p>It was foggy and dark outside her window, absolutely perfect. Edward definitely had no reason not to be in school today. Bella dressed in heavy clothes, remembering that she didn’t have a jacket, further proof that her memory was real. When Bella got downstairs, Charlie was already gone, she was running later than she realised. Bella swallowed a granola bar in three bites, chased it down with some juice straight from the bottle and then hurried out the door. Hopefully the rain would hold off until Bella could find Jess. Casting drying and warming charms would be suspicious, for obvious reasons. It was unusually foggy; the air was almost smoky with it. The mist was ice cold where it clung to the exposed skin of Bella’s face and neck. It was such a thick fog that Bella was a few feet down the driveway before she noticed there was a car in it, a silver car. Her hear thudded, stuttered and then picked up again in double time.</p><p> </p><p>Bella noticed Edward moving, faster than humanly possible, only just being able to pick up the movement. Being Seeker meant she had to be able to pick up such quick movements. He was opening the car door for Bella.</p><p> </p><p>“What a gentleman.” Bella said with a smirk, amused.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you like to ride with me today?” He asked. There was uncertainty in his voice. He was giving Bella a choice; she was free to refuse, and she could tell that a part of him hoped she would. It was a vain hope. Bella would have to prove to him that she was safe in his presence. She reapplied her anti-scent smell and muffled the sound of her heartbeat, smirking when Edward noticed its sudden absence.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, thank you.” Bella said, gracefully sliding into the front seat of the warm car. As she sat, Bella noticed his tan jacket was slung over the headrest of the passenger seat. As soon as the door closed behind her, Edward moved once again with that inhuman speed, and was in the driver’s seat at once.</p><p> </p><p>“I brought the jacket for you. I didn’t want you to get sick or something.” His voice was guarded. Bella noticed he wore no jacket himself, just a light grey knit V-neck shirt with long sleeves. Again, the fabric clung to his perfectly muscled chest. It was a colossal tribute to his face that it kept Bella’s eyes away from his body.</p><p> </p><p>Bella scoffed; her British accent slipped through for a moment. “I’m not quite that delicate, Cullen.” But as she said so, she pulled the jacket onto her lap, pushing her arms through the too-long sleeves, curious to see if the scent could possibly be as good as she remembered. It was better.</p><p> </p><p>Edward smirked. “I see.”</p><p> </p><p>They drove through the fog-shrouded streets and Bella was too tired from her nightmares to really make conversation this early in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>Edward turned to look at her. “What, no twenty questions today?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s usually you with the questions, not me. But do I bother you with the questions I do ask?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not as much as your reactions do.” He looked like he was joking, but Bella could sense the truth behind his words.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not surprised. But I am something out of your element, something you can’t predict.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, you take everything so coolly. It makes me wonder what you’re really thinking.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed lightly. “I always tell you what I’m thinking.”</p><p> </p><p>“You edit,” He replied, amusement colouring his slightly accusatory tone.</p><p> </p><p>“Not much,”</p><p> </p><p>“Enough to drive me insane.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “I’m sure, for a natural Legilimens, that must be frustrating.”</p><p> </p><p>He frowned for a moment, as if trying to remember what Legilimens was. They were silent as they drove into the car park.</p><p> </p><p>“I assume, since you took me to school, your family is making their own way?”</p><p> </p><p>“They took Rosalie’s car,” He shrugged as he parked next to a glossy red convertible with the top up. “Ostentatious, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“I can see why you normally take your car to school.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, we do try to blend in.”</p><p> </p><p>“You still don’t manage it. You are all, aesthetically, too beautiful to fit in. But, if you are attempting to fit in, why didn’t you all go in your car? Not that I don’t appreciate the lift, I do normally manage to find my own way here every day.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m breaking all the rules now.” Edward said, stepping out of the car and Bella following. He met her at the boot of the car before walking towards the school, ignoring all the eyes on them.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m supposing that you all have cars like that, for the indulgence?”</p><p> </p><p>“We do like to drive fast.” Edward replied, keeping as close to Bella as possible without actually touching her.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, thinking about her Firebolt. “Me too.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward raised an eyebrow at her. “Not in your truck, I wouldn’t think.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “No, in my world, we had different, faster ways of travelling. My top speed is 241kpm. I love to go that fast.” She sounded very wistful.</p><p> </p><p>Edward looked impressed. They walked slowly towards the cafeteria. “Can you not travel that fast regularly?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not around the Muggles.” Bella said sadly. “I’m waiting for better weather to go out.”</p><p> </p><p>Jessica was waiting for them, her eyes about to bug out of their sockets. Over her arm, bless her, was Bella’s jacket.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Jess,” Bella said when they were a few feet away. “Thanks for remembering.” She handed Bella her jacket without speaking.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning, Jessica,” Edward said politely. It wasn’t his fault his voice was so irresistible. Or what his eyes were capable of.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh… hi.” She shifted her eyes to Bella, trying to gather her jumbled thoughts. “I guess I’ll see you in Trig.” She gave Bella a meaningful look, and Bella supressed a sigh. What on Earth was Bella going to tell her.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I’ll see you then.” Bella replied.</p><p> </p><p>She walked away, pausing twice to peek back over her shoulder at the pair.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you going to tell her?” Edward murmured.</p><p> </p><p>Bella sighed. “Obviously you caught that. I have no idea what to say.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I can’t read your mind, but I can certainly read hers. She’ll be waiting to ambush you in class.” Bella groaned as she pulled off his jacket and handed it to him, replacing it with her own. He folded it over his arm. “So, what are you going to tell her?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll think of something.”</p><p> </p><p>He deliberated for a moment as they walked. They stopped outside the door to Bella’s first class.</p><p> </p><p>“She wants to know if we’re secretly dating. And she wants to know how you feel about me,” He said finally.</p><p> </p><p>People were passing the pair on their way to class, staring, but Bella was barely aware of them. “Huh, how should I attack this?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm,” He paused to catch a stray lock of hair that was escaping the bun and wound it back into place. Bella could feel a blush heating her cheeks. “I suppose you could say yes to the first… if you don’t mind? It’s easier than any other explanation.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t mind. But it’s a bit tropey, to fake date.” Bella replied with a smirk.</p><p> </p><p>Edward moved his face closer to Bella’s. “Who said it’s fake?” Before Bella could reply, Edward stepped back slightly but continued. “And as for her other question, well, I’ll be listening to hear the answer to that one myself.” One side of his mouth pulled up into Bella’s favourite uneven smile.</p><p> </p><p>Pushing the swoon reaction down, Bella forced a smirk. “You might not like what you hear. That’s the risk of being an eavesdropper.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed lightly and turned away. “I’ll see you at lunch.” He called over his shoulder. Three people walking in the door stopped to stare at Bella.</p><p> </p><p>Bella hurried into class, flushed and mildly irritated at it. She hated how he made her feel blushy, and out of control. She had never really been like this around boys before. Could she really be in love with Edward? Was she even ready for that?</p><p> </p><p>“Morning, Bella.” Mike said from the seat next to her. Bella looked up to see an odd, almost resigned look on his face. “How was Port Angeles?”</p><p> </p><p>“It was great,” Bella said with a smile. “Jessica got a really cute dress.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did she say anything about Monday night?” He asked, his eyes brightening. Bella smiled at the turn the conversation had taken.</p><p> </p><p>“She said she had a really good time,” Bella assured him.</p><p> </p><p>“She did?” He asked eagerly.</p><p> </p><p>“Most definitely.”</p><p> </p><p>Mr Mason called the class to order then, asking for the Macbeth paper to be handed in. English and then Government passed in a blur, while Bella thought about what she was going to say to Jessica. She hoped Edward wouldn’t listen, but she knew he would. Bella wasn’t even sure how she felt. The idea of Edward was amazing. An immortal who would be with her, un-aging like her. Someone she felt that she could grow to love deeply, with time. Maybe not even too much time. They hadn’t been together very long, haven’t been in each other’s company that long, but Bella felt that Edward would be someone who could challenge her, someone she could banter with. They would be equals. Sure, he is technically undead, but their mutual immortality put them on an even playing field. Perhaps they could work. But as intense as their relationship had suddenly gotten, Bella did want to try to make a basis of friendship first.</p><p> </p><p>The fog had almost dissolved by the end of the second hour, but the day was still dark with low, oppressing clouds. Bella smiled up at the sky, Edward had been right, of course. Bella took a deep breath before heading into Trig.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Flirting with a One Hundred Year Old, I guess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 8</p><p> </p><p>When Bella walked into Trig, Jessica was sitting in the back row, nearly bouncing off her seat in agitation. Bella walked gracefully over (not as gracefully as a Cullen, of course) and sat by her friend, years of sport and Quidditch making Bella light on her feet. She wished those skills transferred over to dancing.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me everything!” Jess commanded as soon as Bella sat.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want to know?”</p><p> </p><p>“What happened last night?”</p><p> </p><p>“I did honestly get lost. I went for a walk after going to the bookstore and I got all turned around. Edward happened to be driving by and he took me back to the restaurant, where we met up with you and Angela. Then he took me to dinner. We both had the mushroom ravioli; he’d told me it was good. He’d been to that restaurant before. Then he drove me home. He was such a gentleman, opening the car door for me and waiting for me to get to my front door before he left. It was really sweet.” Bella replied, adding the dinner thing more for Jessica’s benefit than for either Edward or herself.</p><p> </p><p>“How did you get home so fast?” Jessica prodded.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “He drives like a maniac, like, really fast. But I didn’t mind that. I like driving fast too. Not that I can in my truck.” Bella hoped Edward heard that, maybe he’d take her out and drive really fast some time soon. Maybe on their trip to Seattle?</p><p> </p><p>“So, it wasn’t like a date? You didn’t ask him to meet you there?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shook her head. “No, running into Edward was a surprise. But I guess it did turn into a date, I suppose, in the end.” Jessica’s lips puckered in disappointment at the transparent honesty in Bella’s voice. It made Bella internally grin. Jessica really made Bella miss Lavender. She tried not to get sad over it, Jessica wasn’t Lavender after all.</p><p> </p><p>“But he picked you up for school today?” Jessica probed.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. “Yeah, that wasn’t planned either. He noticed that I didn’t have a jacket last night. I guess he’s trying to win me over, I suppose. Woo me, if people even still say that.” Bella chuckled lightly.</p><p> </p><p>Jessica squealed softly. “So he’s trying to romance you? Are you going out together again?”</p><p> </p><p>“He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks my truck isn’t up to it. I think that counts?”</p><p> </p><p>“Definitely.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, then yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“W-o-w.” Jessica exaggerated the word into three syllables. “Edward Cullen.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Bella agreed. ‘Wow’ didn’t even cover it. Bella didn’t really know what attracted Edward to her. She knew that her eyes were considered beautiful and she knew she wasn’t ugly. But she felt so plain next to Edward, without being Isabella Potter. As Bella Swan, she almost didn’t feel like they… fit. They’re both immortal, they had that in common, but what if that was it?</p><p> </p><p>“Wait!” Her hands flew up, palms towards Bella like she was stopping traffic. “Has he kissed you?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bella said softly. “I don’t think we’re at that stage, or if we’ll be there any time soon.” Jessica looked disappointed, and Bella hoped she wasn’t visibly disappointed either. She didn’t want her disappointment to put pressure on Edward. But then, she’d warned him what happens to eavesdroppers. He might not like everything she says.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think Saturday…?” Jessica raised her eyebrows.</p><p> </p><p>Bella chuckled softly. “Probably not.” Bella’s discontent in her voice was only just disguised. Bella really did want to kiss Edward, but then, who wouldn’t? She shook her head. She liked him for more than his looks, though they definitely were a bonus.</p><p> </p><p>“What did you talk about?” Jessica pushed for more information in a whisper. Class had started, but Mr Varner wasn’t paying close attention and the girls weren’t the only ones still talking.</p><p> </p><p>“It was sort of a ‘get to know you’ kind of thing. I told him basics about my childhood and he told me some things about himself. It wasn’t super deep. We’re only in the early stages at the moment.” Bella whispered back.</p><p> </p><p>“Please Bella,” She begged. “Give me some details.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well… okay, I’ve got one. You should have seen the waitress flirting with him – it was over the top. But he didn’t pay any attention to her at all.” Bella replied. Let Edward make what he could of that.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a good sign,” Jessica nodded. “Was she pretty?”</p><p> </p><p>“Very - and probably nineteen or twenty.”</p><p> </p><p>“Even better. He must like you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think so, but sometimes it’s hard to tell. He can be a bit cryptic,” Bella said, almost giving Edward an out.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know how you’re brave enough to be alone with him,” Jessica breathed.</p><p> </p><p>“Why?” Bella asked, pretending that she didn’t know.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s so… intimidating. I wouldn’t know what to say to him.” She made a face, probably remembering this morning or last night when he’d turned the overwhelming force of his eyes on her.</p><p> </p><p>“I do have some trouble with incoherency when I’m around him,” Bella admitted with a blush.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, well. He is unbelievably gorgeous.” Jessica shrugged, as if this excused any flaws. Which, in her book, it probably did.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s a lot more to him than that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really? Like what?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella almost wished she had let it go. But she knew what it was like to be treated like some brainless, airhead because of who she was. She wanted to stand up for Edward, even if he didn’t seem to care.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s funny and smart and he’s really sassy. He has a lot of depth. He’s more than just a pretty face, you know?” The vampire who wanted to be good, who ran around trying to save people’s lives so he wouldn’t be a monster. Bella smiled softly, it reminded her of Remus, in a way.</p><p> </p><p>“Is that possible?” Jessica giggled.</p><p> </p><p>Bella ignored her, trying to look like she was paying attention to Mr Varner.</p><p> </p><p>“So you like him, then?” It seemed Jessica wasn’t going to give up.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Bella said softly.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, do you <em>really</em> like him?” She urged.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Bella said again, blushed. She hoped that detail wouldn’t register in Jessica’s thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>She’d had enough with the single syllable answers. “How much do you like him?”</p><p> </p><p>“Too much,” Bella whispered back. Her insecurity showed through for a moment. “Probably more than he likes me.”</p><p> </p><p>Before Jessica could respond, Mr Varner called on her for an answer. She didn’t get a chance to start on the subject again during class and as soon as the bell rang, Bella took evasive action.</p><p> </p><p>“In English, Mike asked me if you had said anything about Monday night,” Bella said.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re kidding! What did you say?!” She gasped, completely side-tracked.</p><p> </p><p>“I told him you said you had a lot of fun – he looked pleased.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me exactly what he said, and your exact answer.” The two girls spent the rest of the walk to Spanish class dissecting sentence structures and most of the actual class-time on a second-to-second description of Mike’s facial expressions. Bella wouldn’t have helped draw it out for as long as she did if she wasn’t worried about the subject coming back to her and Edward’s new relationship.</p><p> </p><p>And then the bell rang for lunch. As Bella jumped up out of her seat, shoving her books roughly into her bag, her uplifted expression must have tipped Jessica off.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not sitting with us today, are you?” she guessed.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think so.” Bella couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t disappear inconveniently again. But outside the door to their Spanish class, leaning against the wall – looking more like a Greek god than anyone had the right to – Edward was waiting for her. Jessica took one look, rolled her eyes, and departed.</p><p> </p><p>“See you later, Bella.” Her voice was thick with implications. ‘I might have to turn off the ringer on my phone’, Bella mused.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello,” His voice was amused and irritated at the same time. He had been listening, it was obvious.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella didn’t want to say anything about her conversation with Jessica until they were at a table at lunch. Less likely for people to listen in if they talked quietly enough. He didn’t say anything either and Bella assumed it was for the same reason. So it was a quiet walk to the cafeteria. Walking with Edward through the crowded lunchtime rush was a lot like Bella’s first day; everyone stared.</p><p> </p><p>He led the way into the line, still not speaking, though his eyes returned to Bella’s face every few seconds, his expression speculative. It seemed to Bella that irritation was winning out over amusement as the dominant emotion on his face. Bella keep an innocent smile on her face.</p><p> </p><p>Edward stepped up to the counter and filled a tray with food.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?” Bella objected. “You’re not getting all that for me?” He shook his head, paying for the food.</p><p> </p><p>“Half of it is for me, of course.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed out loud at that comment, almost making Edward’s look of irritation break into a slight smile. He led the way to the same place they’d sat that one time before. From the other end of the long table, a group of seniors gazed at the pair in amazement as Edward and Bella sat across from each other. Edward seemed oblivious, which was unlikely. He probably just didn’t care.</p><p> </p><p>“Take whatever you want,” he said, pushing the tray towards Bella.</p><p> </p><p>Bella picked up an apple and turned it around in her hands. “I assume food tastes terrible to you? I don’t actually know what happens when a vampire eats food. You don’t have a digestive system, at least not a human one.”</p><p> </p><p>“If someone dared you to eat dirt, you could, couldn’t you?” he asked, almost condescendingly.</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged, taking a bite of her apple. “I thought you’d probably just have to force yourself to throw it up.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward blinked at her. Bella smirked in reply. Something seemed to catch Edward’s attention over Bella’s shoulder. “Jessica’s analysing everything I do; she’ll break it down for you later.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “If I was that desperate, I could just pick it out of your mind.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward didn’t seem as amused. The mention of Jessica brought a hint of his former irritation back to his features. “So the waitress was pretty, was she?” he asked casually.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled wryly. “You really didn’t notice?”</p><p> </p><p>“No. I wasn’t paying attention. I had a lot on my mind.”</p><p> </p><p>“Poor girl.” Bella teased. Despite sometimes being insecure in herself, she didn’t at all feel threatened by the waitress. At least, not now, in the light of day.</p><p> </p><p>“Something you said to Jessica… well, it bothers me.” He refused to be distracted. His voice was husky, and he glanced up from under his lashes with troubled eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not surprised you heard something you didn’t like. You know what they say about eavesdroppers,” Bella reminded him, hiding her slight trepidation behind a smirk, like Draco had taught her.</p><p> </p><p>“I warned you that I would be listening.”</p><p> </p><p>“And I warned you too.”</p><p> </p><p>“You did,” he agreed, but his voice was still rough. “You aren’t precisely right, though. I do want to know what you’re thinking – everything. I just wish…that you wouldn’t be thinking some things.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “That’s quite a distinction.”</p><p> </p><p>“But that’s not really the point at the moment.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then what is?” Bella asked. They were inclined toward each other across the table now. He had his large white hands folded under his chin; Bella leaned forward; her right hand cupped around her neck. Bella had to remind herself that they were in a crowded lunchroom, with probably many curious eyes on them. It was easy to get wrapped up in their own private, intense little bubble.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you truly believe that you care more for me than I do for you?” he murmured, leaning closer to Bella as he spoke, his dark golden eyes piercing.</p><p> </p><p>Bella took a deep breath and looked down at the food tray in front of her. “Yes,”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The silence dragged on, but Bella stubbornly refused to break it and/or meet Edward’s gaze. Finally he spoke, voice velvet soft. “You’re wrong.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella glanced up to see that his eyes were gentle. “You can’t know that,” she disagreed in a whisper. She shook her head, doubt setting in, though her heart throbbed at his words and she wanted so badly to believe them.</p><p> </p><p>“What makes you think so?” His liquid topaz eyes were penetrating – trying futilely to break through Bella’s Occlumency shields and lift the answer from her mind.</p><p> </p><p>As Bella searched for the words, she could see him getting impatient, frustrated by her silence. Bella lifted up one finger, to silence his impatient thoughts. “Aside from the obvious, that Edward Cullen is far out of Bella Swan’s league, I come with a lot of baggage. And I mean, a <em>lot</em>. You just met me and you’re seemingly so perfect and I’m… not. I’m… broken. Why would someone like you, want to be with someone like me?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward frowned. “What do you mean ‘the obvious’? That I am out of your league?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, almost harshly. “Well, look at me,” Bella said, unnecessarily, as he was already staring. “I’m absolutely ordinary. Bella Swan isn’t interesting or beautiful. She isn’t affluent or powerful. She’s just a girl. Isabella Potter, a grizzled war-veteran who’s seen too much, broken and mourning and covered in scars, isn’t super healthy relationship material either. If my mind hadn’t been closed to you, if my blood didn’t sing to you, why would you give me a second glance? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that, I came here to be a nobody, to be unseen, for the first time in a very long time. Isabella Potter could have anyone she wanted, just because of who she was, not even including her wealth and titles. I can’t offer you anything in return. And then look at you,” Bella waved toward him and all his bewildering perfection.</p><p> </p><p>His brow creased angrily for a moment, then smoothed as his eyes took on a knowing look. “You don’t see yourself very clearly, you know. I’ll admit, that yes, you are a war-veteran that has seen too much,” Edward noted Jasper’s sudden piqued interest in their conversation, Rosalie’s blatant irritation. Well, at least he didn’t have to tell her himself that Bella knew they were vampires. Edward then chuckled blackly. “but you didn’t hear what every human male in this school was thinking on your first day.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella scoffed, though slightly astonished. “I don’t believe it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Trust me just this once, you are the opposite of ordinary.” Bella’s embarrassment was much stronger than her pleasure at the look that came into his eyes when he said this. “And besides, no matter how beautiful I think you are on the outside, I know how beautiful you are on the inside. I’ve seen your memories of That Day. I’ve heard your story. These scars that you hide with long sleeved t-shirts, they just make you more beautiful. They are evidence that you have lived, that you fought for something that you believed in.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed brightly, her cheeks heating up, all the way to the tips of her ears.</p><p> </p><p>They were silent for a few moments. “I have another question for you,” Edward asked casually.</p><p> </p><p>“Shoot.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you really need to go to Seattle this Saturday or was that just an excuse to get out of saying no to all your admirers?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella made a face at the memory. “You know, I haven’t completely forgiven you for the Tyler thing yet. I told him that I wasn’t going to prom, but he’s still managed to delude himself anyway, because of you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, he would have found a chance to ask you without me – I just really wanted to watch your face. Your other responses, though, were unexpected.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’d already figured out what you were, pretty much, by that time. I knew you would hear me.” Bella replied, smirking at him.</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed lightly, and fuck it was beautiful. Bella felt the blush returning to her cheeks slightly. “If I’d asked you, would you have turned me down?”</p><p> </p><p>“Probably not,” Bella admitted. “But I would have cancelled later – faked an illness or sprained an ankle.”</p><p> </p><p>He was puzzled. “Why would you do that?”</p><p> </p><p>“My grace in Gym and other sport does not translate into dancing.” Bella thought back to the Yule Ball and her and Ron’s pathetic attempt at dancing.</p><p> </p><p>“That wouldn’t be a problem,” Edward replied, shaking Bella from her memory. He was very confident. “It’s all in the leading.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “I doubt even you could make me look good dancing.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward ignored her statement. “But you never told me – are you resolved on going to Seattle, or do you mind if we do something different?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella was secretly pleased with the way Edward said ‘we’. “I’m open to alternatives. But I do have on favour to ask.” He looked wary, as he always did when Bella asked an open-ended question.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I drive?”</p><p> </p><p>He frowned. “Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“As much as I enjoyed going fast in your car, I told Charlie that I was going to Seattle alone, and at the time I was. If he asked again, I probably wouldn’t lie, but I don’t think he’ll ask again. Leaving my truck at home would just bring up the subject unnecessarily.”</p><p> </p><p>“Won’t you tell your uncle that you’re spending the day with me?” There was an undercurrent to his question.</p><p> </p><p>“No. Not unless this actually turns into something. Charlie is really protective of me, especially after…well. It’s not that I think he would say anything or disapprove. I am, technically, an adult. He’ll just worry that I’m… not ready.” Bella said, looking down at her hands. She shook her head. “Where are we going, anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>“There weather will be nice, so I’ll be staying out of the public eye… and you can stay with me, if you’d like to.” Bella thought it was nice that he was leaving the choice up to her, not just demanding that they do what he wanted. She was so used to just going along with what other people wanted, when not in her Girl-Who-Lived capacity. It was nice that he gave her the choice and didn’t demand anything of her.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve never seen a vampire of your species in sunlight before. Must be a wonderous sight.”</p><p> </p><p>“I could show you, if you wanted.” He smiled, but then paused. “But if you don’t want to be… alone with me, I’d still rather you didn’t go to Seattle by yourself. I shudder to think of the trouble you could find in a city that size.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “London is three times the size of Seattle – just in population. In physical size -”</p><p> </p><p>“But apparently,” Edward interrupted her, “Your number wasn’t up in London. So I’d rather you stayed near me.” His eyes did that unfair smouldering thing again.</p><p> </p><p>“My number, as you know Edward, has been up a few times. I was supposed to have died 2 years ago, but I survived. I always come back. And, as it happens, I don’t mind being alone with you.” Bella sassed. Bella wondered if Edward’s siblings were paying attention to their conversation, if they picked up on Bella’s not so concealed comments of her own immortality. Bella wondered if Edward had even told them. Probably not.</p><p> </p><p>Edward sighed. “We should go, or we’re gong to be late.”</p><p> </p><p>Everyone watched the pair as they walked together to their lab table. Bella noticed that he didn’t angle his chair to sit as far from her as the desk would allow. Instead, he sat quite close to her, their arms almost touching. Bella made sure her smell dampening and sound dampening charms were still on. Bella smiled up at him, pleased that he wasn’t so nervous around her anymore.</p><p> </p><p>Mr Banner backed into the room then – what superb timing the man had – pulling a tall metal frame on wheels that held a heavy-looking, outdated TV and VCR. A movie day – the lift in the class atmosphere was almost tangible. Mr Banner shoved the tape into the reluctant VCR and walked to the wall to turn the lights off. The room went black and Bella smirked, she could practically feel Edward’s raised eyebrow. Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, lowering her Occlumency shields just lightly enough that Edward would be able to pick up her surface thoughts. She then turned to face him and caught his eye, sinking into his mind in return. Edward gasped, though it was barely audible.</p><p> </p><p><em>“So, I thought this would be better than sitting in silence,” </em>Bella thought to Edward.</p><p> </p><p>Edward was still staring at her, as was required for the Legilimens connection, but they were widened a fraction in surprise. “<em>Can you hear me?”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Bella grinned at him. <em>“Yes, Edward, I can hear you.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>It took Edward a moment to get used to hearing Bella’s mind and she hearing his mind in return. He caught a flash of something though, an errant thought that accidentally slipped through when Bella looked at his face. He saw a boy, a young man really, they looked to be the same age as him. And the boy looked eerily similar to himself, though the boy didn’t have the inhuman beauty that being a vampire brought. But he was still very handsome, for human standards. The image of the boy was gone almost as soon as it appeared, as if Bella was pushing the thought down and away. But Edward couldn’t deny the similarity between the both of them. They could have been twins.</p><p> </p><p><em>“Who was that?”</em> Edward asked, curious. He could feel Bella’s mental mortification, followed by guilt and grief.</p><p> </p><p><em>“Sorry, you weren’t meant to see him. He was a schoolmate of mine. Cedric Diggory. He was seventeen when he died, like you. But he was murdered, right in front of me. He just…you remind me of him, sometimes.”</em> Bella replied, embarrassed that he’d seen. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this. She just didn’t want to watch the movie and thought this would be far more interesting, but now…maybe she should have just paid attention to the film.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s alright, Bella. I can see how I remind you of him. From what I remember of my own human life, I think this Cedric and I would have been almost identical. When did he pass? You didn’t tell me about him the other night.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“Four years ago, during the Triwizard Tournament. Wormtail killed him on Voldemort’s orders. I may or may not have had a small crush on him. He was the star Seeker from Hufflepuff, and he was really popular and kind. He believed me when I told him that I didn’t enter the Tournament. I wanted to ask him to the Yule Ball, but… He asked Cho Chang, Seeker for Ravenclaw. I didn’t fault him for that, I was only fourteen and she was fifteen and much prettier than I was… Anyway, he was a good friend…” </em>Bella replied, her thoughts turning to Dumbledore’s eulogy.</p><p> </p><p><em>“I’m sorry for your loss, Bella.” </em>Edward whispered softly in her mind.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled sadly up at him, gripping his hand. <em>“I’m sorry too. I promise, it’s not him I’m seeing when I look at you. It wasn’t his memory that drew me to you.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Edward smiled gently. “I know.” He whispered out loud. The lights suddenly turned back on, and Bella closed the connection, putting her Occlumency shields back into place. Bella was still holding his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, that was interesting,” he murmured. His voice was husky, but his eyes were cautious.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled warmly at him. “Indeed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Shall we?” He asked, rising fluidly.</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded and rose to her feet as well. Bella almost stumbled but caught herself easily. She felt that maybe the new intensity that had grown between the two of them had affected her balance. She hoped it wouldn’t last too long, as she was about to head into Gym. He walked Bella to her next class in silence and paused by the door; Bella turned to say goodbye. His face startled her – his expression torn, almost pained, and so fiercely beautiful that Bella almost ached to touch him. Her goodbye got stuck in her throat.</p><p> </p><p>He raised his hand, hesitant, and then swiftly brushed the length of Bella’s cheekbone with his fingertips. His skin was as icy as ever, but the trail his fingers left on Bella’s sink was alarmingly warm, like she’d been burned. He turned without a word and strode quickly away from her.</p><p> </p><p>Gym was easy enough. It was almost done completely on autopilot for Bella, easily keeping up despite her mind not at all being there. Bella’s partner for the match, Mike (of course), gave her a high-five when the coach finally blew the whistle ending class.</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Mike said as they walked off the court.</p><p> </p><p>“So what?”</p><p> </p><p>“You and Cullen, huh?” he asked, his tone almost rebellious.</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked. She hadn’t wanted him to be jealous, which was why she pushed him at Jessica so much. She must still be a novelty. “And?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t like it.” He said, his eyes narrowed.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, a harsh note entering her tone. “What’s it to you?”</p><p> </p><p>“He looks at you like… like you’re something to eat,” Mike said, earnestly.</p><p> </p><p>Bella stared at him for a moment, a giggle escaping her lips. She turned and walked away from him before he could say something else. She changed quickly in the girl’s locker room, something stronger than butterflies battering recklessly against the walls of her stomach, her conversation with Mike already a distant memory. Bella wondered if Edward would be waiting, or if she should meet him at his car. What if his family was there? Bella took a deep breath. Who cares if his family was there? They couldn’t do shit to her. Bella found her worries to be unfounded anyway, as Edward was waiting, leaning casually against the side of the gym, his breathtaking face untroubled now.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Bella breathed as she met him, a grin forming on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello.” His answering smile was brilliant. “How was Gym?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “Same old, same old.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?” He was unconvinced. His eyes shifted their focus slightly, looking over Bella’s shoulder and narrowing. Bella glanced behind her to see Mike’s back as he walked away.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>His eyes slid back to Bella, still tight. “Newton’s getting on my nerves.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “You caught our conversation?”</p><p> </p><p>“You mentioned that your gym skills didn’t translate to dance, it made me curious.” The pair started to walk toward the carpark, towards Edward’s car. Though, Bella had to stop a few steps away, as crowd of people, all boys, were surrounding it. Then Bella quickly realised they weren’t surrounding the Volvo, they were actually circled around Rosalie’s red convertible, unmistakable lust in their eyes. None of them even looked up as Edward slid between them to open his door. Bella also slid into the passenger side, also unnoticed.</p><p> </p><p>“Ostentatious,” Edward muttered, causing a peel of laughter to escape Bella.</p><p> </p><p>“What kind of car is that? A BMW, M3 maybe?” Bella asked. Edward raised his eyebrows, surprised that Bella knew, while trying not to run over the car enthusiast as he reversed out of the car space. “What? Just cos I drive a really old Chevy does not mean I am ignorant. I like to drive fast too, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward chuckled. “If you like to drive fast, why do you drive that truck?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, unlike you, I actually wanted to fit in. And, it was a gift from Charlie.” Bella replied.</p><p> </p><p>It was quite a short trip back to Bella’s house. “So, since you’ll be driving, expect me on your doorstep bright and early Saturday morning."</p><p> </p><p>“Of course. I also have something I want to show you this weekend,” Bella said with a wink as she stepped out of the car.</p><p> </p><p>Edward smirked at her. “Oh? And what would that be?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“It’s a surprise.” Bella responded with an equally mischievous smirk. “Oh, and good luck with Rosalie. If looks could kill, we both would be dead and gone. I’m going to assume you didn’t tell her I knew.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward looked suddenly very grave. “My Aston Martin is going to be a pile of scrap by the time I get home.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella burst out laughing. She kept laughing, all the way up to the front door.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. You Wanted Kisses? You Get Kisses.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Let me know if you want me to keep this going.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 9</p><p> </p><p>The weekend came fast, everyday lunch was spent sitting with Edward, the vampire continuing his interrogation of Bella. He asked her favourite colours (purple and teal), foods (treacle tart, anything Mrs Weasley cooks), hobbies (Bella would giggle and tell Edward that he would find out that weekend), books and movies and music. Bella spoke of the disconnect that she often felt from the Muggle world while spending the year at Hogwarts. She missed out on music and movies and new technologies. It had taken her some time to catch up with everything that had happened in the seven years Bella had been absorbed into the Wizarding world of Britain.</p><p> </p><p>Edward had already offered to take Bella to see whatever film she wanted, to lend her any book the Cullen’s had in their vast library. Bella had blushed bright red at Edward’s soft, hypnotic tones, promising her anything she wanted. Stop that. Bella had to shake her head; she was letting him get to her far too easily. The less family friendly thoughts had been floating around the edges of her mind. With yet another poorly concealed blush, Bella was glad her Occlumency shields were so strong. She would have been mortified if Edward could hear the thoughts that he could inspire within her.</p><p> </p><p>It was odd to Bella. She had never really had these thoughts about someone before. She had always been so consumed with her own destiny, about the prophecy, about Voldemort. Then, once she defeated Voldemort, Bella was so wary about people just wanting to be with her because of her money and titles. Bella had never even felt this way about Cedric, who she admitted to having a crush on. That was so innocent, and so was her past brief relationship with Ginny. But with Edward, it was far more intense, and Bella didn’t fully understand why. She just felt so drawn to Edward. Perhaps it was because he knew who she was, famous Isabella Potter, but chose Bella Swan. There wasn’t a lot of people in the world that had chosen to be with her because of who she really was, not because of the titles the world had given her.</p><p> </p><p>And Edward was sweet, so clever and funny. He had a wry dry wit and he didn’t judge her for her past. Bella didn’t judge him for his past either. Bella knew he had killed people before; her Other Powers had confirmed that long before Edward even hinted at it. He just seemed to get her, they clicked in ways not even Hermione and Ron had with her.</p><p> </p><p>The conversations that they had just made them feel closer and closer, despite the fact that they weren’t very deep, like the conversation they had in the car back from Port Angeles. It made Bella more excited for the weekend, when she would see Edward in sunlight for the first time.</p><p> </p><p>The morning of Saturday dawned bright and Bella was practically vibrating. She assumed, that wherever Edward took her, it was going to be very private. It would have to be, so he could maintain his secret. This was why Bella was currently shrinking her broom so it would fit snugly in her pocket. She then slid on her wand holder up her right arm under her sleeve and then slotted her wand in place. Bella then put on her tighter jeans and the blue blouse that Edward said he liked. She then pulled on a nice soft woollen cardigan and her favourite walking boots. Edward would have told her if he was taking her to his house, so it made sense that they would be going into one of the many forests that littered the countryside. Bella hoped that she wasn’t the only one going to be awestruck today.</p><p> </p><p>The doorbell rang and Bella raced downstairs, she opened the door, exhaling suddenly from excitement. There he was, Edward. He looked radiant, wearing a pair of light grey jeans, a soft white t-shirt and a short-sleeved pale blue check shirt hanging open on top. He looked like he had just walked off a fashion shoot, Bella felt her mouth go slightly agape for a moment before she hurried to close it.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi,” Bella said breathlessly.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello.” Edward reply, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Bella knew no car would be there, but she couldn’t help but look for it, the silver Volvo being so iconic to Edward, it was almost weird for him to be there without it.</p><p> </p><p>Bella quickly collected herself. “Did you have a nice run?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward nodded. “Yes. Peaceful.” They stared at each other for a moment, as if trying to read the others’ thoughts. “Are you ready to go?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella started at Edward breaking their silence, but she grinned, nevertheless. “Sure thing.” She pulled her keys out of her jean pocket and locked the door behind her before leading Edward over to her truck. “I wish Charlie would have let me buy my own car, but it was so sweet of him, I couldn’t say no. I personally would have picked something that could have gone a little faster, but maybe it’s better that I didn’t. Being the niece of a cop and being a cop briefly myself made me respect the road laws a little better.” Bella said after they hopped into the cab. “So, what part of the vast forests of north Washington am I driving to?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward grinned, “Very astute deduction. Just pull out of the drive way, left, and I’ll give you directions as we go.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded, turning the key in the ignition and sending her engine roaring to life, the sound forcing a surprised laugh out of Bella. “The sound dampening charm finally wore off. I swear, this engine could give most dragons a run for their money, with how loud it gets.”</p><p> </p><p>“Been around many dragons?” Edward asked off-handedly.</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s grin turned shit-eating as she pulled onto the main road. “A fair few. I stole one once, it was our get-away ride after we robbed the bank.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward stared at her blankly. “Did you just say you robbed a bank?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed. “I didn’t tell you that one? Must have slipped my mind when I was telling you my life story.” Edward’s look of shock persisted, making Bella laugh again. “Remember how I told you about the horcruxes? Well, one of them was in Gringotts, the Wizarding bank, run by goblins. One of the Horcruxes was in Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault. Despite being the Head of the Black family, Gringotts was under the control of Voldemort, so I couldn’t request entry to Bellatrix’s vault as the Lord of her blood House. So, we had to break in. And to escape, we stole one of Gringotts’ security dragons. Rode on its back to safety. Ukrainian Ironbelly. They were practically torturing the poor thing, so I didn’t feel so bad about stealing it. After the war, the Goblins forgave us, as Horcruxes are abhorrent to them, the worst of taboos. One thing we have in common with them. They said thank you to us, for removing it from their domain. I still had to pay them back for the dragon though. It wasn’t too bad a fee, they said the dragon was blind and old and was going to die soon anyway. I’m glad we set it free, and let it live its last few years in peace.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward was still staring, “Are you serious?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella nodded. “Of course I’m serious. That’s not even the craziest thing I’ve done! Remember the Basilisk when I was twelve?”</p><p> </p><p>“How are you still alive?” Edward asked, awe colouring his tone. Bella was pleased with how impressed he seemed. She was glad that she could still shock him.</p><p> </p><p>“I know, right? I survived all that, just to die in a motorcycle crash. Well, it’s not like I stayed dead. I’m immortal. Yippee.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yippee indeed,” Edward said. “If you had stayed dead, then we never would have met.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled at him softly. “And that would have been the real tragedy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Make a right here,” Edward said gently. “Follow this road until the end and then stop.”</p><p> </p><p>They fell silent there until Bella finally reached the end of the street. “And now, into the forest?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward grinned, “I hope you’re wearing some good walking shoes.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smirked back. “Of course, I figured we were going hiking. Though, if I get tired, I can cheat.”</p><p> </p><p>“What, me carrying you?” Edward teased.</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes, “No, I was going to creep into your mind, get the location of where we’re headed and teleport there.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, but I could.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed, and hopped out of the cab, Bella hot on his trail. “I’ll try not to go too fast for you.” Bella pulled her broomstick out of her pocket and resized it to Edward’s astonishment. “A broomstick? A bit cliché, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“This isn’t just any old broomstick, Edward. This is a Firebolt, the fastest broomstick in the world. It should be able to keep up with you.” Bella bragged, mounting the broomstick, and pushing off gently, to hover in the air. “Try and keep up, Cullen.” And with that, she zoomed full speed into the tree line, as fast as a vampire. Maybe even faster. Edward grinned widely and chased after her.</p><p> </p><p>He caught up to her relatively quickly but staying with her was more of an effort than he thought it would be. Bella was laughing at the top of her lungs, and Edward could hear the exhilaration in her voice, how absolutely ecstatic she was. It made him laugh in response. Suddenly, they came across and clearing and Edward came to a sharp stop. Bella had to careen around and then meet Edward back in the tree line.</p><p> </p><p>“I suppose this is where you wanted to stop then?” Bella said, lowering her broom and then jumping to the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“You really do like to go fast.” Edward stated.</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, her voice still full of her prior exhilaration, “You have no idea how much I have missed flying. I just haven’t had time to scout out a place where I could do so without being seen. I assumed that today, you would already know the places where humans don’t go. Thought I might be able to get away with it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m surprised your broom was able to keep up with me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I told you, it was the fastest broom in the world. So, what do you think of the big cliché now?” Bella teased.</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled softly, “Magical.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella snorted, “Well duh!”</p><p> </p><p>“But why a broom? And not a flying carpet or something?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her. “That would be illegal. Enchanting a Muggle object is against the law. Only in Arabian countries can you get away with a flying carpet. You’ve watched too many Disney flicks, Cullen.”</p><p> </p><p>“And brooms don’t count as a Muggle object?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella shrugged. “I never said the law made sense. Welcome to the Wizarding World.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward shook his head. “Your world is so strange. Somehow, more strange than my own.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella grinned. “Not used to not being the biggest freak in the room? Or, clearing, in this case?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a welcome change. Now, since you’ve showed me yours, I might as well show you mine.” With a blur of movement that Bella only just caught, Edward was standing on the cusp of a pool of sunlight. He seemed to take a deep breath, unneeded obviously, but it must have calmed or reassured him, as he then stepped into the light.</p><p> </p><p>He was stunning. Like diamonds, but as if those diamonds were also on fire. Was this what the early Christians meant when they described angels as fiery beings? Could they have been describing Edward’s species of vampire? Bella would not have been surprised if that was the case. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, off the curves of his burning cheek bones, the shining musculature of his arms. He looked ethereal, like an earth-bound god, his glory becoming visible in the early afternoon sun.</p><p> </p><p>Edward turned to look at Bella, and she promptly lifted her jaw up from the ground. Her awestruck expression shifting into a blushing grin, which amused Edward to no end. </p><p> </p><p>“Wow, I feel like my whole broom trick was nothing compared to that.” Bella said, wishing her voice sounded stronger. “You look…impossibly beautiful.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled softly at her. “Thank you. From you, that touches me deeply.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella smiled warmly back at him. She moved towards him, slowly at first, but faster as she grew more confident. "Do you mind?" She asked when she reached him, her hand hovering over his own. He nodded minutely. Softly, Bella allowed her hand to rest gently against his. She didn’t notice the cold, but first the aura of Death that always seemed to cling to Edward. He must have fed not long before this trip. Perhaps in case her masking spells failed. Or if the temptation of her human body became too much. Eh, she’d come back to life if he suddenly snapped and killed her. What a morbid thought. Focus, Bella.</p><p>Bella continued her exploration of his hand, gently running her finger tips up to Edward’s wrists, making his breath catch. The sound sent Bella’s heart racing, her blush growing when she realised that Edward could probably feel it through her skin, dampening charm or not. He had made her fall in love with him, and the thought that she could affect him in some way, even a fraction of the way she felt for him, was intoxicating.</p><p> </p><p>Edward tilted his head and caught Bella’s eyes. “What are you thinking?” He asked softly, his voice like velvet.  </p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed. “I feel honoured. That you’re allowing me to experience this, to be this close to you. I may be Death’s Mistress, I can feel the Death that surrounds you, but everything else overwhelms that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Everything else?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed again, this time, meeting Edward’s eyes directly. Come on girl, you’re a Gryffindor for Merlin’s sake. “How I feel about you. How you make me feel.”</p><p> </p><p>“And how do you feel about me?”</p><p> </p><p>Bella took a deep breath, but resolutely did not look away. “I have fallen in love with you. And, before you say anything else, it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I know that you’re way out of my league and that you’re much older than me and-”</p><p> </p><p>Edward cut her off by pulling her close to him, holding her tightly, but gently in his arms. “Oh Bella. I have waited so long to hear you say that. Bella, perhaps against my better judgement, I have fallen in love with you too. I am afraid, I have never been in love before and you are so human and breakable. I want to keep you safe, safe from me and how monstrous I can be, but I am selfish. I couldn’t bear to stay away from you. You have captured my heart, completely.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella’s heart began to race, her face heating with yet another blush. How wonderful it was, to hear that Edward loved her, for just being Bella Swan, not Isabella Potter. She felt her eyes fill with tears, but not tears of sadness.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t cry, Bella. You don’t know how much you mean to me. How much I love you. You deserve to be loved, please remember that.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked up at him and gave him a watery smile. “How do you always know exactly what to say?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smiled gently down at her. “Because you deserve to be spoken to and treated kindly. You have been through so much, it’s the least I can do.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella reached up a hand and stroked his cheek gently. “Thank you. But Edward, you deserve love too. You’re not the only one being selfish. I doubt I could let you go, after this.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want you to.”</p><p> </p><p>After a moment, Edward softly stroked Bella’s cheek in return. “May I kiss you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Bella whispered.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, he leaned down and pressed his lips ever so lightly to hers. His lips were cool, but not as cold as his extremities. Bella surged forward and kissed him back, opening her mouth to his, her tongue pressing against those cool lips. He moaned softly, sending a thrill through her. He opened his mouth in return, his equally cool tongue pressing against hers. This time, it was Bella who moaned, pleasure shooting through her as the kiss grew more passionate. Edward’s other hand migrated to the back of her head as he kissed more deeply, his other arm locked tightly around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer to his body. After a moment, Edward pulled away, causing Bella to whine breathlessly, to which he chuckled in response.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fairly sure humans need to breathe, even immortal humans.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella blushed brightly. “C-can we do that again?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward smirked. “I should hope so.” And he pulled her to him once again.</p><p> </p><p>Hours passed, the two of them having since laid down on the grass in the sunlight, just talking with the occasional snog, as Bella aptly put it. Though, it felt far more romantic than just a simple snog. He was so gently and loving as his kissed her, as if she were made of porcelain. So sweet.</p><p> </p><p>As the clouds began to hide the sun, Edward heaved a deep sigh, sitting up. “We should probably head back now. I’ve kept you too long.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella looked up at the sky, that seemed to be threatening rain. “You’re probably right. Well, do you want to ride with me on my broomstick?”</p><p> </p><p>Edward laughed. “If I didn’t know you were a witch, I would have thought you were propositioning me.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella rolled her eyes. “Trust me, that isn’t the first time I’ve heard that.” She pulled her shrunken broomstick back out of her pocket and resized it wandlessly. She then mounted it. “Hop on and hold on tight.”</p><p> </p><p>Edward sat behind her on the broom and she pushed off the ground and she set off at full speed through the trees. She couldn’t stop the laughter of pure exhilaration from escaping her, as she once again took in the feeling of flying. Even Edward’s added weight didn’t slow down the broom enough for Bella to noticed. The sound of her laughter made Edward grin, his arms tightening around her waist slightly. “You’ll have to run with me some time, if you really want speed.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella snorted. “Please, you want speed?” Bella’s face contorted into a huge Slytherin worthy grin. She leaned forward, deeply, forcing Edward to lean forward just as deep. If Edward was impressed with the speed of the Firebolt before, he was completely blown away. The broom, the way Bella skilfully weaved her way in between trees, that should be too fast for her human eyes to see. He was able to see perfectly fine, as if everything was moving passed them in slow motion. But how was Bella? Was it a witch thing, or a-basically-a-Goddess-thing? Far too soon, they were reaching the limits of the forest, Edward could see the road ahead. Bella seemed to realise this too, as she began to slow down. Shortly, she pulled the broom to a complete stop.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for flying Potter Air, please leave your tables in the upright position. And tip your waitress.” Bella said, turning to grin at Edward, who laughed in response.</p><p> </p><p>“I think that last one is supposed to be just for restaurants.”</p><p> </p><p>“Eh, I think it works.”</p><p> </p><p>They hopped off the broom and Bella shrank it down and put it back in her pocket. “Well, how was your first ride on a broom?”</p><p> </p><p>“It was an experience. I never imagined that a human could travel as fast as a vampire, outside plane travel.”</p><p> </p><p>Bella laughed, brushing Edward’s windswept hair out of his face. “Magic, Cullen.”</p><p> </p><p>“Most definitely.” He replied softly. He leaned down and gripped her chin gently, pulling Bella in for a sweet kiss.  Bella melted at the cool passion of his kiss.</p><p> </p><p>A few lightheaded moments later, the two parted and they walked over to Bella’s truck, Edward gracefully, Bella slightly stumbling. Her mind had been slightly muddled by Edward’s kiss. One way or another, he was going to be the death of her.</p>
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